


Automata Neverland

by MeJA



Series: The Automata Neverland stories [1]
Category: NieR: Automata (Video Game), 約束のネバーランド | Yakusoku no Neverland | The Promised Neverland (Manga)
Genre: Android sexual content, Androids love and adore children, Awkward Romance, Dubcon Kissing, Existentialism, F/F, F/M, Families of Choice, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Idealism, Kids love Androids, Mildly Dubious Consent, Suicide, children in harm's way, loving domination, no shipping kids
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:07:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 26,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26181649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeJA/pseuds/MeJA
Summary: The Promised Neverland is about extraordinary kids facing and triumphing over enemies with the proverbial “deck” stacked against them. In this story, the “stacked deck” is upended when the kids from Grace Field House, the other “Farms”, and the so-called “cattle” children get some new, powerful and battle hardened big sisters and brothers that are programmed at their core to love and protect humans (especially human children)…Hang in there, kids…YoRHa is coming…Glory to Mankind, Guard Humanity’s Children.
Relationships: 2B & 21O (NieR: Automata), 2B & 6O (NieR: Automata), 2B/9S (NieR: Automata), 6O & 9S (NieR: Automata), 6O (NieR: Automata)/Original Character(s), 9S & 21O (NieR: Automata), Emma & 2B, Emma & 9S, Emma & Gilda (The Promised Neverland), Emma & Norman (The Promised Neverland), Emma & Popola, Emma & Ray (The Promised Neverland), Emma (The Promised Neverland) & Everyone, Lani & Thoma (The Promised Neverland), Lani &2B, Popola & Devola, Thoma & 2B
Series: The Automata Neverland stories [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2165232
Comments: 35
Kudos: 56





	1. Jonah's Story, part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where we meet Jonah, who wants a family and a mother of his own...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I’m starting this project with a side story I thought of along with the main story. This is a lot bigger project than I’ve tackled before, so cross your fingers I can pull it off. I haven’t seen this crossover tried, but I think I can make it go. The existentialism of Neir;Automata meets the idealism of Emma and the Perfect Neverland. 
> 
> This first chapter is about Jonah, an OC in the Perfect Neverland 'Demon' world. The next two chapters will focus on the Androids appearing in the 'Demon’ world. Then I think the blending will began and YoRHa’s 1st war against the Demons will eventually happen….

Jonah screamed as the iron hand with a white leather clad glove clamped his shoulder tightly but not painfully. He attempted to wrench himself free, wildly twisting his body while trying to kick backwards at the dark, shadowy figure trapping him. He desperately tried to pry loose the iron gripped fingers locked on his right shoulder by his collarbone.

His efforts went for naught. The tall figure easily reeled him in, pulling him out of the forest bushes he had been hiding in and crushing him tight to its body. He could see and feel the figure more closely now; she was a female, with fine features, porcelain skin, and shocking white hair cut short and practical. She wore a short black dress with skintight black shorts underneath it, and long leather boots which came halfway up her thighs with stockings showing above her boot tops. The sleeves of her dress came down to her wrists and were tucked into her black and white leather gloves. She wore a black blindfold which covered her eyes and was wrapped lower on one side than the other. A beauty mark dotted her lower left cheek, beneath her lips.

Behind her floated what looked like a metal box with metal claws hanging below it. Jonah shuddered and tried not to think about being chased by the evil box with it’s claws outstretched…

Her leather gloved hand gripped his head and neck, almost like she was being protective of him. He continued to flail at her body with his arms and legs, but she seemed not to notice. He continually shouted for her to let him go. She replied in a calm voice “I apologize, I am unable to comply with your order…” She supported him on one thigh and hip, and out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of light in her other hand, He felt a momentary sting in his left buttock, and then blushed furiously as she proceeded to massage the sting away with gentle fingers.

Suddenly a wave of tired grogginess washed over him like a tsunami. His struggling grew much more feeble, and his limbs felt like they were made out of lead. His ragged gasps fell off to more deeper breaths, and his shouts dwindled into whimpers and then silence. The woman, _'She must be another Mom – a special one trained to hunt down children who run away!'_ he thought, created another flash of light and he felt himself being swaddled tightly into a warm blanket. After wrapping him up, she cradled him very tightly and tenderly in her arms, carefully supporting his back, neck and head against her chest. She began to carry him away.

She whispered softly in his ear; “Don’t be afraid. I am a YoRHa combat Android, designated personality type 2, and B for Battler type. I am called 2B for short. My mission today is to rescue you and the other human children from this farm and to prevent your being harvested by the creatures you call ‘Demons’. I have taken you into protective custody for your own safety. You will now be taken care of for the rest of your life in the best possible manner with care and respect for your well being. As will your children and your children’s children for as long as YoRha exists. We swear an oath; 'Glory to Mankind, Guard Humanity’s Children’, and all Androids will keep this oath to you and to all human children to the best of our abilities.” Then she carried him carefully, in silence.

His eyelids drooped repeatedly, but by Herculean efforts with the last of the epinephrine running in his small body he forced them open again and again. “You may rest and sleep, if you wish…” 2B said, “Be assured, I will deal with any threat to your safety.”

 _'I can’t trust her!'_ , Jonah’s drugged and sluggish brain thought doggedly. _'I can’t trust anyone or anything anymore…'_

_He remembered walking the path to what he thought would be a new family and a Father and a Mother he could really call his own. He had especially dreamed of a mother all of his own, who he could get hugs from and who would play with him; just her and him so he could have her undivided attention. He hoped his little suit and tie, and the little fedora hat he wore would make his new mother happy so she would be willing to pay attention to him._

_In front of him, carrying a lantern to light the way to the front gate, walked the only woman who, up until now, Jonah had ever called 'Mom'. In a matronly white apron, wearing a practical blouse and a grey skirt that reached down to the low ankle boots that she wore, 'Mom' was the spitting image of a practical caretaker of a house filled with orphaned children. Jonah tried not to let his eyes brim when he thought about leaving his beloved 'Mom’ to go to a new, forever, home. He resisted the urge to look back at the multistory building that ever since he had been a baby, he, and the other multiple children of various ages who had lived their entire lives there, thought of as home._

“Mom,” _he asked. She looked back at him out of the corner of her eye._ “Hmm?” _She intoned._ “What is it, Jonah?”

“Um, I was just wondering; Do you ever miss the other adopted kids after they’ve gone?” _Suddenly, he thought he saw a little hitch in 'Mom's step. Then she resumed walking as if nothing had happened._

“Of course, I miss every one of you when you grow up and leave, Jonah…” _'Mom’ spoke with the utmost sincerity._ “But I tell myself that it’s okay because I know you are in a better place.”

_They reached the big gate at the South end of the grounds. As they approached, the iron portcullis, which he always had seen down, ratcheted slowly upwards. Jonah tried not to show that he was both excited and anxious at the same time. Beyond the portcullis there was a long, dark and utilitarian looking archway, with multiple doorways to the side and steam pipes that dripped water into puddles on the dirt floor. There was a flatbed truck with a tarp over its bed parked on one side of the roadway. Jonah briefly wondered if his new family owned the truck, or if they were waiting on the other side of the building?_

_'Mom' stepped to the side and opened a set of double doors that metallically creaked as they opened._ “Come in here first, Jonah.” _'Mom' ordered. Jonah, who had always been a good boy, followed instructions and went with her…_

Jonah struggled and opened his eyes again, only to find that he was being taken back to the gate again! He tried to wriggle in 2B’s arms to get away, but his body was too sluggish and heavy to move. He tried to protest, but his words were slurred and came out as whimpers instead.

Pod 042, the floating box with 2B spoke up; “Statement: the human's heartrate and skin tone, as well as brain activity including attempts at vocalization indicate the child is in an increasingly agitated state. The probability is highest that the child is afraid of the gatehouse.”

“Suggestion: unit 2B should undertake efforts to calm the human child and reassure him that the demon threat has been dealt with…”

2B nodded and carefully cradled Jonah more tightly, pressing his cheek to her chest and holding his forehead to her neck in a warm embrace. She pressed her cheek to his face and softly said into his ear “You are safe. The ‘Demons’ have all been eliminated, and I am merely returning you here to have a Healer unit make sure you are in good health before you are taken to a more permanent residence.”

_…Jonah remembered being picked up by the horrific Demon, its long polydactyl fingers curled around his body. In its other hand it held a bouquet of flowers that seemed to grow out of a single sharp stem. He watched, horrified, as the demon's bulging red rimmed eyes goggled around to seemingly focus on him. The demon's hand with the flowers moved closer to him, and he grasped that the demon was planning on sticking the stem into his heart._

“Don’t struggle, Jonah.” _'Mom' told him as she stood off to the side, watching stone faced as he was being harvested._ “If you don’t struggle, there will be no pain and it will all be over with soon. It’s better if you just give up.” _Tears began to stream down Jonah’s cheeks._

_The demon's head suddenly exploded. Jonah fell hard onto the dirt packed floor, and cringed in a fetal position as a set of loud explosions rocked the other end of the hallway. He could feel the bruises forming already on the side he landed on, including his face. He saw stars momentarily. He felt hands on his legs, and opened his eyes and looked down his body. 'Mom' was pawing at him. Her clothes were torn in the upheaval taking place around them, and her hair had come undone and was hanging out in scraggly strands at random angles. The Demon’s blood, or maybe her own, trickled down her face._

“Jonah, we’ve got to, _unh!!” She didn’t complete her sentence as Jonah kicked her hard with both feet squarely in her nose. There was a squelching noise and blood flowed freely from her nostrils as she reared back and clutched both hands to her face. Behind her, Jonah saw a horde of black armored figures with swords and spears engaging in battle with other demons. A demon threw one of the armored figures against the wall, flattening it with all four limbs spread eagled. The figure slid down the arched wall to land on its feet. Bouncing on its heels the armored warrior rejoined the fray, running in to deliver a flying kick of its own that shattered a Demon’s knee._

_Jonah, scared out of his mind, did the only thing he could think to do. He got up and ran as fast as he could to the forest to hide…._

As 2B carried him back to the Gatehouse, Jonah could see smoke rising into the sky from places still smoldering. Androids in black armor rushed about with the little flying boxes following behind them. The ones not standing guard had removed their helmets, and Jonah was startled to see they all looked female like 2B. Their hair styles, lengths, and colors were different, but they all wore blindfolds just like 2B, and they all had the same porcelain complexion.

As 2B got closer, another Android ( _‘wasn’t that what 2B called herself?'_ Jonah muzzily thought) intercepted her path, and ordered her pod to scan 2B, Jonah and pod 042 for any irregularities. After her pod confirmed 2B’s identity and Jonah as a human child, the armored Battler saluted and approached. Removing her helmet, she looked down at Jonah, then glanced up at 2B. “So this is the human child who ran away?” 2B nodded affirmation. Tentatively, the Battler reached out an armored hand to gently caress Jonah’s head and cheek. “So precious!…” The armored Battler cooed at and then smiled down at Jonah..

2B nodded and carried Jonah around the other Battler. She approached the command desk where a male Android stood in front of four pods, his fingers flying over holographic keyboards projected into mid air by the pods. He wore a black coat and black shorts with black boots. He had short, all white hair like 2B, but cut in a male style. He wore a black blindfold, but unlike the Battlers his was straight across his eyes. His looks were boyish, like he could have been Jonah’s older brother. But Jonah observed that he gave the taller Battlers orders which they jumped to carry out.

He turned to face 2B as she approached, and said “Ah, 2B, you found our runaway! Thank you!” He stepped up in front of 2B, close to her and Jonah. She replied “It wasn’t hard to follow him, Nines. The probability map of where he was likely to hide that you calculated was very useful, thank you…”

Jonah became nervous at the boyish Android standing so close, and raised a hand defensively. The male Android reached out and gently took Jonah’s hand into his own. Softly squeezing Jonah’s palm, the male Android said to Jonah “It’s alright, you’re safe now. You’re really lucky 2B found you so fast and brought you back here where we can protect you.” 9S smiled, thinking; _'When she heard a child had run away and was potentially lost, 2B didn’t wait to waste time volunteering. She had her armor off so she could run faster and was headed to the forest to find him before anyone else could react…'_

“I need to take him to the Healer units, Nines, then I’ll return to help with the mop up.” She gently rocked Jonah while she spoke to the other Android.

“A healer is already on her way, Twoobee…ah, here she comes!” Both Androids turned towards an Android coming closer that looked like a smaller and more slender version of the thicc Battlers.. The Healer unit, 3H, had a straight blindfold wider at her nose and tapered to behind her head. She had straight blond hair, braided down both sides in the back, with two long strands that fell on either side of her face. She wore a black top with an open panel below her neck with a white collar that was held on at her neck by a black, jeweled clasp. Her top extended down to her hands, where she wore a pair of latex like gloves. She wore a short flared skirt that came to her knees. She wore black hose with the typical YoRHa field issue leather thigh high boots. A large, multi pocketed medical bag was slung over her shoulder, and her pod hovered behind and above her shoulder.

The Healer stopped by 9S and 2B, saluting in the YoRHa fashion with her hand over her heart, and said in crisp, military fashion “Commander 9C, Battler 2B, unit 3H reporting as requested. How may I be of service to y…” Her voice caught in her throat as she noticed the small child cradled in 2B’s arms. “O-oh, is that the H-human I-I'm taking care of?”

Nines smiled at the Healer, and quietly asked “Is this the first time you’ve dealt with a human child, 3H?” She nodded, obviously nervous. “It’s the first time I’ve seen a human at all, sir, ma'am.” 3H responded.

Nines rested a hand on 3H’s shoulder. “You’ll do fine. Take a deep breath…” 3H took in a deep breath in through her nose, then released it through her mouth. Quietly, the commander said “Just follow your training, and you’ve been given programming to handle this. You will take good care of this little human, here. I’m sure of it…”

After the commander’s expression of support, 3H’s shoulder’s squared and she saluted and said “yes, sir!” with an emphatic nod. She took one more deep breath, then stepped forward and looked down at Jonah. As he groggily looked back at 3H, she said professionally “Greetings, young sir, my name is 3H, and I have been assigned as a medical unit to make sure you are in good health and to care for you for the immediate future.” 3H held out her arms, and 2B carefully moved Jonah to be held by 3H.

3H smiled gently down as she held Jonah, a real, live human child, for the first time. He stared back at her innocently and wide eyed. “Ah”, 3H said, and thought to herself _'He's so small and adorable!'_ She felt her black box speed up in her chest, and quietly said to Jonah “You’ll be fine. I’m going to take very good care of you, I promise. Just close your eyes, try to relax, and take deep breaths for me, please.” Jonah obliged, and 3H knelt down holding him with one arm and resting him on her thighs while she gave him a preliminary exam.

She gently loosened his collar and removed his little tie to expose his chest. She rested her hand on his small chest, and the sensors in her fingertips recorded an EKG of his heart. After she was satisfied with the initial readings, she quickly attached tiny wireless patches that allowed her and her pod to constantly monitor him. She produced a listening device from her bag and proceeded to check his breathing and listened to his heart while her pod ran diagnostic exams and fed the results directly to her visual display. All throughout her quick examination she gently coached and reassured Jonah; “That’s good…Deep breaths, you’re doing well... please continue to breathe as deeply as you are able to.”

She unfurled an IV bag and tubing and quickly found a vein in his arm to start giving him intravenous fluids. She apologized for hurting him when he grimaced slightly as she slid the IV needle into his arm. She produced an ampule from her bag and injected it into his IV line, telling him “You’ll be alright. This will help you to sleep for a bit. Don’t worry, I’ll stay with you while you’re sleeping and take care of you, sweetheart. Just breathe…that’s good…relax and breathe.” She softly finger combed his hair until he slept.

Having efficiently finished her preliminary exams, 3H stood, cradling Jonah tightly to her to comfort him. 2B asked 3H how Jonah was, and 3H replied “He’s overall in stable condition. He’s exhausted and has obviously suffered a traumatic shock to his psyche. He has large contusions down his right side which are painful, but should heal with no complications.”

3H paused, then said “And he’s an _absolutely adorable_ little sweet human who I could just hug all the time!” 3H looked sheepish at her outburst, but 2B stepped close and gently rubbed Jonah’s back. “Yes, yes he is…” she agreed.

3H smiled genuinely down at her little human charge, then remembered herself and resumed her professional tone. “The next step is to take him to the transport and get him into one of the medbays to do a more complete diagnostic panel and prepare him for transport. Um… commander?”

Nines waved a hand at her; “Go ahead.”

3H took a deep breath and then forged ahead, saying “Commander, I would like to request that I be assigned to watch over this particular human until he is assigned to a permanent home replacement, sir.”

Nines smiled, “I understand. Your first human is a special thing, that’s for sure. Request granted. Take him to the Transport and I’m sure he’s in good hands, 3H. Good luck and Glory to Mankind” He saluted 3H with his hand over his heart. 3H, arms firmly wrapped around and cradling the sleeping Jonah, bowed towards 9C at her waist and said “Glory to Mankind, Guard Humanity’s Children.”

2B spoke up; “I’ll escort you both to the Transport. Let’s get you two onboard before they arrive with the other children.” Before they could start, 3H’s pod, 181, alerted and said “Statement: the human’s tracking device is not disabled…”

“Query: would it be advisable to have this unit disable the tracking device before moving the human child to the transport?”

All of the Androids nodded their assent, and 181 hovered nearer to Jonah’s right ear and extended a claw arm near to, but not touching the ear itself. There was a small crackle from a spot on Jonah’s earlobe, and he whined weakly in his sleep. 3H gently rubbed his ear, and rocked him tenderly as she carried him towards the Transport with 2B flanking her.

As 3H carried Jonah around the corner of the gatehouse, the woman Jonah had known as 'Mom’ knelt on her knees beside the wall, her hands handcuffed behind her back. A Battler Android stood watch over her, as a Scanner crouched beside her and interviewed her for any intelligence that could be gleaned from her.

Looking up for the first time since her capture, 'Mom’ watched intently from under the bandage on her head as 3H carried one of her most special children away. She looked at the Scanner, and asked “Please, can you tell me if Jonah is alright?” The Scanner looked up at the Battler, who subtly nodded her assent. “Jonah is the child’s name, is it? His condition is good, with only minor injuries. He is to be transported to safety where he will not be able to be harvested.”

'Mom' paused at the Scanner’s words, then smiled and began to laugh to herself. The Scanner looked on with interest at the change in her demeanor, while the Battler, lips pursed, took a step closer to the woman in case her actions turned violent. The Scanner held up a hand to forestall the Battler, and 'Mom’ said quietly to herself “See, Jonah, you **will** be in a better place after today…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I’m planning to sprinkle Jonah’s side story throughout the main story occasionally, along with at least a single one shot on the side that I’ve thought of (hopefully, you’ll like “The Hugging Room”. It’s unabashedly fluff and Hurt/Comfort, without the hurt)…
> 
> So what’s next for Jonah? I think next time he’ll end up in the Bunker’s medical wing, receiving some nice TLC from 3H and 181…
> 
> BTW, 3H's name and look are loosely based off of Sanmo Chiaki's character creation; https://m.facebook.com/sanmo.saki/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1687522064668783&_rdr


	2. The Bunker, Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Androids start their new odyssey....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These next couple? Few? Chapters will be pretty much oriented towards the Android side of the story. Don’t worry, we will get back to wholesome Kid/Android interaction soon enough…
> 
> I’ll also be playing pretty fast and loose with Neir: Automata canon and gameplay. For the purists out there – please forgive me. I’m using artistic license because I think it makes the story better…if you disagree, go ahead and let me know in the comments.
> 
> Of course, if you like it, you can comment also.
> 
> There are (sort of) spoilers for the game, so be warned.
> 
> Lastly, I don’t own or profit from The Promised Neverland, Neir, or Neir: Automata.

The alarms blared throughout the Bunker in its geosynchronous orbit above Earth. In the command center, 2B defended the commander of all YoRHa forces, the Android designated as White. Her opponents were her fellow Battler and Defender Androids and the Operator Androids who normally staffed the desks and relayed orders to herself and her fellow combat Androids, all now infected with a logic virus.

2B pushed White towards the elevators after side kicking an infected Battler away from the commander. As 2B, her partner and Scanner, 9S, and commander White entered the elevator, they looked back at their former comrades and their myriad of red, glowing eyes. The red warning in their photoreceptors indicated their infection with the logic virus that was reprogramming their operating systems, changing them from the disciplined operatives they were designed to be into murderous AI's. On the Command Center’s main view screens and at every Operator’s individual terminals the 'ALERT' warning flashed in red letters.

“Go for the hangar level…” White commanded and 2B obeyed, punching the appropriate buttons on the wall panel. As they rode, 2B gave voice to her frustrations “How could this happen? How did a machine infiltrate the entire Bunker network and infect all of YoRHa with the logic virus?”

_On the ground on Earth, 2B remembered the task force she and 9S had been a part of, assigned to wipe out the crippled machine forces and end the 14th Machine war. The same machine forces that had made humanity evacuate the Earth thousands of years ago._

_Androids, Automatons simulating biological humans and made in their Creator’s image, had been left to fight the hordes of machines in mankind’s honor. The Battlers like 2B had fallen upon the machines, cutting them into scrap, while Scanners like 9S hacked into the machines software, causing internal failures which destroyed machines from the inside out or remotely controlling the machines and making them fight their own forces…_

_The Machine war should have ended that day, but it was a trap from the start…._

_As the machines were engaged, suddenly machines hidden within the regular ranks popped open to reveal EMP generators. Not caring about themselves or their own forces, they had released an EMP pulse which overwhelmed the Android’s EMP hardening and left them staggered and their systems scrambled momentarily. Then, when the Androids were vulnerable, the machines sent a logic virus into the task force itself. 9S and 2B had been unaffected by the virus, thanks to the inquisitive 9S who had shut down their network connections before the virus had transferred to them. 9S had managed to save 2B’s and his memories while she kept the infected Androids busy. Then, surrounded by the infected, 2B and 9S had detonated their black boxes, effectively wiping out the task force._

_The next thing the pair knew, they were in the Bunker in new bodies. They went to report to the Commander that the mission had failed and, in order to save the Bunker, the task force had to be destroyed._

_Then, amidst hard words and recriminations from the commander herself, the alarm sounded and the alert was signaled; the Bunker’s network was infected. The Operators and the Battlers and Defenders of White’s security detail turned on their Commander, 2B, and 9S with red glowing eyes…_

9S had carefully checked himself and 2B for infection when they transferred to their new bodies. He had been certain they were clean. _'So how did a machine…_ get into the Bunker's servers?” White stoically stood, not answering the Battler. “I don’t know…” 9S said, his voice quiet and the shock at this turn of events evident on his face. “Unless…”

Both the tall Battler and Commander turned halfway to look down at the diminutive, boyish Scanner. The shell-shocked look had been replaced by a look 2B knew as 9S’s face when he was seriously working on a thought. Half murmuring, he said “Unless….they had a backdoor into the Bunker itself…”

“It doesn’t matter now,” White said as she faced forwards again. “We have been locked out by the machine, however it got in. The Bunker is lost.” If the Commander of all the YoRHa forces felt any emotion over the disaster in progress, she stoically didn’t show it in her voice or actions. _Emotions are prohibited…'_ , 2B reminded herself.

The elevator stopped, and the doors opened up onto the cavernous hangar deck. 2B and White headed towards the flight units. Halfway to the nearest flight unit, 2B noticed 9S had made a beeline to the nearest terminal. “9S, What are you doing!? We’ve got to leave, now!” She started to go after him to drag him back to the flight deck.

9S began rapidly and furiously working at the terminal. Over his shoulder he said to 2B; “Wait a minute, 2B, Commander! I want to try something…”

“We don’t have a minute! We have to leave, now!” As 2B spoke, two Androids, eyes gleaming with a red glow, staggered out from around the parked flight units. _"*** HEE-HEE, bingo!***"_ they repeated with cheer, as their language and logic chips were being recruited and taken over by the logic virus.

 _“***Hee-Hee, this is so much fun…***”_ the machine now controlling the Bunker’s systems broadcast over the internal loudspeakers. A new alarm blared through and echoed off the massive walls of the hangar. “The self destruct has been activated,” White said to 2B. With authority, she said, “This is a direct order, units 9S and 2B. Evacuate immediately!” The commander focused a stern gaze upon the scanner, who seemed lost in his own world.

“ **9S...NINES!** ” 2B used the familiar nickname that he always begged her to use. She strode towards him, intent on dragging him to a flight unit and flying him to safety, regardless of whatever fantastic plan he had in mind.

9S’s pod, 153, sent a coded message to both Commander White’s internal heads up display and the black visor 2B wore. The little floating boxes were every field operatives constant companion, combining physical assistance, extended sensory capacity, field medical care, weapons/logistical storage, a mobile weapons platform, and network and data storage assistance in a compact, self contained package.

_*'Statement: unit 9S has illegally accessed restricted areas on the Bunker server network.’*_

_'Nines! What are you doing? And right in front of the commander…. You’re not leaving me any choice!'_ 2B summoned her sword, Virtuous Contract. Illegal access of the servers was a crime punishable by execution. 2B advanced more slowly towards 9S, hoping she would not have to carry out this part of her duties.

“It’s what I thought,” 9S said, without looking up from the terminal. White held up her hand for 2B to wait. 9S continued, “The machine shut down the network’s antivirus and anti-hacking protection from being activated, and shut down outside access to the network afterwards. But with this other backdoor, we can upload a vaccine direct to the network and the other Androids.”

“Pod! Prepare vaccine and input it to the network through this terminal.” Pod 153 continued to float beside and behind 9S. “Pod?” 9S said.

Commander White stepped forward and said “Pod 153, override protocols on my authority, and do as unit 9S says.”

“Affirmative: preparing vaccine.” Pod 153 said. The pod moved next to the terminal. “Accessing. Vaccine preparation complete.” After a few more seconds, the pod said “Vaccine successfully uploaded.” Suddenly the infected Androids collapsed. Walking over to one, 2B turned it over with the toe of her boot. Though the Android wasn’t moving, her eyes had returned to the normal blue coloring. The alarm warning of virus intrusion from the servers ceased, though the self destruct alarm still sounded.

“Commander, if you will authorize it with your command codes, then self destruct can be turned off.” 9S stepped aside so the commander could access the terminal, and after she spent moments at the terminal, the “situation normal” alarm sounded its singular blast echoing through the Bunker’s hallways and rooms. Turning to 9S, the Commander said “An…. unorthodox solution 9S. I would like to know how you come to have a way around the security protocols?”

“I don’t think it’s over yet, Commander.” 9S held up a cautious hand. Right on cue, the machine voice came over the Bunker's speakers, _“***Awww, that’s no fun! Why can’t I play more…***”_

9S raised his hand and light symbols flashed across his palm. The terminal began to flash code across it’s screen as he hacked into it.

Suddenly he was in a virtual space inside the Bunker's network. His sword, Cruel Oath, was represented by a simplistic, almost cartoonish sword in his hand. His pod, 153, was a simple floating box by his shoulder. The machine infiltrator was a childish looking, steampunk style short machine with a round body, bowl like head, and simple, short arms and legs with blocky hands and feet. It looked at 9S and put its hands to its head, and said loudly “***No! Oh no! Not good, not good…***”

 _’Really?_ 9S thought. _‘They sent the virtual equivalent of a Stubby to blow up the Bunker! Talk about a lack of respect!...Then again, sending something simple through a backdoor is less likely to attract attention…'_ 9S advanced on the small machine, saying “Sorry, little guy. But you can’t be in here anymore.” The stubby tried to run, but the Scanner said “Pod, spears!” Pod 153 said “Affirmative!”, and hard light spears shot up from the virtual floor and surrounded the little machine like a cage.

As 9S approached, the Stubby cried “***Multiply! ***”, and suddenly dozens of virtual copies of himself appeared around the virtual space, all of them espousing their enthusiasm about playing in the Bunker's servers.

 _'Nice little trick,'_ 9S thought. _‘But I have some neat tricks of my own…'_

“Pod,” he barked, “Send a 'Kill' command combined with a 'self-destroy' command to all copies of the infiltrator!”

“Affirmative.” 153’s simulated female voice returned. A virtual simulated version of 153’s minigun appeared on the virtual pod, and simulated “bullets” representing code packets sprayed out to hit and absorb into the virtual Stubbies. Instantly, the copy's 'eyes' turned red and they began to repeat the word “***kill***” over and over again. They began to fall upon each other, wrestling and tearing each other apart. Soon the virtual space was littered with virtual Stubby limbs and other mechanical parts.

“***No, no, stop! ***” The original virtual Stubby cried. After destroying each other for what seemed like long minutes, the copies all turned towards the original Stubby still trapped by the light spears and advanced as a group towards it. “***No, no, stay back! No hurt, kill, please! Nooo…***” the original pleaded as the copies fell upon it. Its pleas soon devolved into thin screams as its limbs began to be pulled off.

With a grim look, 9S calmly said, “Destruct.” The machine copies all began to shiver and small explosions sparked throughout their bodies. The small explosions combined into one larger blast that propelled 9S and his pod out of hacking space.

9S staggered as he stepped back from the terminal he was hacking. 2B stepped up behind him and steadied him against herself with her arm around his shoulders. “T-thanks, 2B…” 9S said shakily. White moved to stand in front of him, looking down at him with narrowed eyes.

2B steeled herself. Behind 9S’s back, she moved Virtuous Contract into position. She expected White to order his execution for his illegal activities. She quietly hoped he would be spared by some miracle. Failing that, she hoped for a steady hand to strike true and quick so that he felt no pain.

Finally, White spoke, “As I said, an unorthodox solution, 9S. But executed well under difficult circumstances.”

“Therefore, I will put off for now the discussion about how you happen to be able to access the server without authorization.” 2B, not showing her relief on her face, pulled her sword away from 9S and held it in guard position. White continued, “Come along now, 9S. I suspect we will have use of your skills in what is left of the Command Center.” The Commander steered him back towards the elevator, 2B following with Virtuous Contract in her hand.

****

As the trio exited the elevator, there was red coolant coating the floor and splashes of red on the walls of the Command Center. White’s security team lay spread among the bodies of operators, some of whom were shakenly getting to their feet, others who were damaged and could only weakly move and cry for help. A number of operators lay unmoving, and as 2B and 9S checked them, they found they lay with sightless gazes. They closed their eyes for a final time.

2B heard crying from under 6O’s workstation. Looking under, she found the Operator curled up in a fetal position, sobbing. 2B, as gently as she could, touched the Operator’s back. 6O screamed in terror and curled tighter in on herself, until 2B wrestled her hands away from her face and said “6O, it’s me. **Operator** , it’s 2B, checking in!” Finally looking up, 6O sobbed “2-2-2B!”, then threw her arms around 2B’s neck and clung to her. As her sobbing died down, 6O told 2B “I r-remember suddenly I couldn’t think about anything but flowers, and then everybody was fighting and I couldn’t control myself…and I was sooo frightened!” 2B held her Operator as she resumed sobbing onto 2B’s shoulder.

9S found his Operator, 21O, aiding another Operator, 13O, who’s arm had been severed at her elbow. 9S shut down the coolant flow from 13O’s remaining stump, then turned off as many pain receptor sensors as possible before he detached the damaged arm at the shoulder for eventual replacement. 9S checked his Operator briefly for any damage, then told her what he had done. She grabbed him by his coat lapels and snarled “You hacked the **Bunker’s** network, 9S!” Fearfully, he responded “I’m sorry, Operator, it was the only way to stop the logic virus and save the Bunker!” 

Suddenly, he found 21O had wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a tight hug. “Whatever happens, you did a good thing, 9S. Remember that.” 21O whispered to him, then with a final tight squeeze, she released him and left him while she assisted 13O and another Operator to the medical wing. 9S stood still, momentarily in shock, then blushed and moved to help another Operator.

The final tally was one-third of the Operators were killed, mostly by the former security team, a few by each other in the fighting. Another third were injured to some degree, and the rest were in varying degrees of shock. The fact that Operators did not regularly backup copies of themselves weighed heavily on the surviving Androids; knowing that their friends and colleagues as they knew them were gone forever.

The security team suffered no fatalities; one Battler had lost an eye after being gang tackled by a group of Operators, and the other Battler had lost an arm to a sneak attack by 21O, who had been a former Battler and had been retraining to help 2B and 9S with the offensive against the machines. Though they didn’t show it outwardly, being the elite Android warriors that they were, White’s security team would later reveal that they would have regrets for the rest of their days over the casualties they caused among their fellow Androids.

****

After the wounded had been transferred to medical, the Command Center was beginning to be cleaned as the remaining Operators and a few drafted Scanners attempted to make contact with YoRHa ground forces and assess the damages taken there.

Suddenly, the main monitor crackled to life, and Adam's sardonic visage appeared. _'How does he fit into this?'_ 2B thought. _'…And I thought he was finished!'_ She remembered the day she and 9S had both run their swords, Virtuous Contract and Cruel Oath, through Adam’s torso. The humanlike Adam and his “brother” Eve were the machine network’s most recent creation to combat the Android forces. With their ability to teleport at will, catching them alone had been an accomplishment into its own.

Adam’s long white hair and perfectly white shirt were overpoweringly bright in the giant monitors that made up one wall of the command center. With horn rimmed glasses glinting in the light of wherever he pre-recorded his message, Adam had a patronizing, almost mocking tone that 2B knew too well and detested. He said “Well, I guess Congratulations are in order for you all. If you are listening to this, you somehow managed to disable the logic virus and save yourselves. Well done! You honor your creators with your tenacity…”

“You deserve better than this ruined world your creators have left you and that our former masters have ravaged in their selfishness. Let me give you a parting gift; your creators left you to suffer the hubris of their past. Let us see what the random dimensions hold for your fates. Let me roll the dice of the Cosmos for you. Maybe you will end up in Paradise, or maybe in Oblivion. I think either is better than a pointless existence trying to save a world your creators have abandoned…”

Adam’s image faded from the central screen, and suddenly the Bunker was rocked; its structure twisted and bucked as if a giant hand were shaking it. The Operator in charge of monitoring the area of space around the Bunker between the Earth's outer atmosphere and the Moon’s orbit looked at her monitor, then shook her head and double checked her readings. After confirming what she was seeing, she called out; “Commander, sensor confirmation of a large amount of energy in geosynchronous orbit near to the Bunker’s orbital path! I think…I think a space-time rift is opening…” The Operator, 2O, muttered “Can’t be…can’t be…”

“Commander, the Bunker is being pulled into the rift…”

**Epilogue (on the Earth’s surface)**

Anemone, the leader of the Android resistance forces on the Pacific sector of the Earth, headed across the Resistance camp towards the medical area where the Resistance Androids had placed the remaining YoRHa personnel. _'This has been quite a day I’d like to forget…'_ she thought to herself. First the YoRHa operatives all suddenly went berserk after the logic virus apparently infected their network. Contact with the Bunker was lost, and it had been touch and go as to whether the Resistance could hold onto the camp as they battled the experienced and tough YoRHa fighters. Finally, something had gone right and the YoRHa operatives suddenly all fell down in rest mode. The Resistance had collected all the YoRHa they could find in or around the camp and brought them to the medical area to isolate them until they could figure out what happened and whether or not the operatives were still infected.

As she entered the medical area she saw Popola and Devola moving around the YoRHa Androids performing field medical care, bandaging wounds to prevent coolant leakage and making sure the resting mode Androids stayed in stable conditions. Grimly, Anemone noted to herself, _'Looks like no one wanted to be in here if the YoRHa operatives woke up with the logic virus active again…so they turn to the camp pariahs again to bail them out.’_ Anemone herself was here because the Resistance had heard from the Bunker again, and they wanted a manual headcount of how many of their people were in the camp now.

As Anemone stepped into the first room, a black and gold pod slipped in past her and took up a position near a Scanner with a bloody looking bandage on his head and missing a few fingers on his left hand. She surmised the pods must have been recalled to serve their particular Android, and she couldn’t see any of the YoRHa agents without their ever-present pods.  
“Devola…” Anemone called softly, and the red haired twin turned to regard the head of the resistance. Her sister Android, Popola, also looked at Anemone. “First off, thanks to you and Popola for stepping up and helping. I’ll see if I can’t get YoRHa to buy you some of Jackass’s finest, okay?” Both twins eagerly nodded. “Speaking of YoRHa, we’ve reestablished contact with the Bunker, and they think they’ve got the virus eliminated from their network. So hopefully none of these guys will wake up and want to chew your faces off. But they want a direct count of how many of their guys are here, in this complex?”

The only way to tell the twin Androids apart was by their hair. Devola had the more unruly long red locks. She gestured with her right hand, answering “We can do that, there’s…”

There were sounds of running and some screams and cries from the camp outside. “What now?” Anemone groused, then said “Excuse me, I’m sorry.” She stood up and approached the door, then stepped outside to see what was wrong. Several Androids were craning their necks, looking up into the sky. Anemone followed their gaze, and saw a portion of the sky lit up by a golden arc. There were random pulses of brighter flashes along the length of the phenomena brightening the sky.

 _'What the hell is that!?'_ Anemone thought. Then she looked down with knitted brows, thinking _'Why do I suddenly feel…lighter?'_ Behind her, she heard Devola gasp and ask her sister, “Popola, what is that? What’s going on?” She turned, and saw that all the YoRHa personnel and their pods were bathed in Golden light, with golden sparkles showering off of them.

Suddenly the YoRHa Androids seemed to turn _transparent_ , as if they were disappearing _somehow_. _'That's impossible!'_ was Anemone’s first thought. Her processors wanted to deny the evidence right in front of her, but quickly the undeniable visual evidence before her overruled any conventional wisdom. The YoRHa agents who had regained enough consciousness to comprehend that something out of the ordinary was happening also began to realize their situation; their were screams and cries of shock and fear. Some begged for help from no one in particular and from anyone in general. 

A Battler near Anemone looked at her now translucent hands, then looked up at Anemone and locked eyes with her. “Help me, please! What’s happening to me…Please, help!” Her voice faded as her body seemed to disappear, and all Anemone could do was to stand transfixed with shock and no idea what to do for her fellow Android.

The Scanner Devola had been cleaning up reached out a hand, nearly invisible in the bright light, silently reaching out for her help. His mouth moved, but no sounds seemed to come out…at least, nothing Anemone could detect. Tentatively, Devola reached out and grabbed the Scanner’s hand. She was immediately inveloped in the same light as the other YoRHa Androids, and she began to fade as well.

“Devola!” Popola cried and rushed to her sister. She reached for both her sister’s and the Scanner’s arms, intending on separating them from one another. “Popola, don’t touch them!” Anemone warned. Popola ignored Anemone’s admonition, and gripped both arms. She too was then enveloped in the glowing light.

Suddenly from outside the loudest crack Anemone had ever heard came from the sky. She momentarily thought, _'Thunder? But the sky is blue…'_ Then she was knocked facedown by a tremendous gust of wind that threatened to pull the roofs off of every building and overturn every tent in the Resistance camp. At the same time, the room was bathed in a golden, sparkling light that blinded her and temporarily shut down her photoreceptors for their own protection.

After laying stunned for a few long seconds, Anemone opened her eyes and got back onto her feet. As her photoreceptors came back online, she looked over a medical wing where the cots, beds and gurneys that were previously full of the YoRHa personnel now lay empty and somehow forlorn in the absence of their patients. In the back, two injured Resistance Androids remained in their beds, looking as befuddled as Anemone felt. Even the pods were gone.

“Popola? Devola?” Anemone called. No one answered. She turned and stepped outside. Looking up, she could see that the sky had returned to its normal, pristine blue. There was evidence of severe wind damage around the Resistance camp.

An aide ran up to her, with portable communications gear slung over his back. “What is it?” she asked, perhaps a bit too curtly.

“Ma’am, we have lost contact with the Bunker again. This time it appears as if it’s gone.”

Shocked, Anemone said quietly “It’s been confirmed destroyed, then?” _'What kind of new weapon do the machines have that can destroy even the Bunker in orbit?_

“No ma'am. There’s no sign of debris or anything left over. It’s as if the entire Bunker has…disappeared.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I went old-school SyFy and used a space-time rift. A wormhole would have destroyed the Earth and killed millions of innocent machines and resistance Androids. 
> 
> And would have ended A2's life. So for A2 fans and the Church of A2, you’re welcome.
> 
> BTW, I know canonically 9S is as tall as 2B. But in watching gameplay, I'm sorry, he's a shorty. Plus it makes sense logically to have small, fast scouts like 9S versus bigger, stronger Battlers and Defenders, like 2B. So, in this version, Nines is smaller (and in 2B and everyone else's eyes, that much more lovable).


	3. The Bunker, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Androids of YoRHa end up somewhere...at the beginning of their true destiny.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So where do our favorite Androids end up…
> 
> Sandy beaches…warm sun…piña coladas with just a dash of WD-40…
> 
> Yeah, right 😏
> 
> I don’t own or profit from The Promised Neverland, Neir, or Neir: Automata. Or any sandy beaches, the Sun, or the makers of WD-40.

EMERGENCY REBOOT SEQUENCE INITIATED…ending Rest Mode in 5s…4s…

Light flared and klaxons sounded deafeningly in 9S’s visual and auditory sensors, momentarily disorienting him. “Hold on to him!” He heard someone (maybe 210?) shouting. “I’m trying to trigger the bulkhead doors!” 9S became aware of a powerful wind buffeting his body, pulling at him as a strong arm was wrapped around his stomach. Considering he weighed close to 300 kilos, he calculated in the back of his mind that the wind was enormously strong.

Finally becoming fully conscious, he grasped the situation. The Bunker command room floor was tilted, meaning the structure had been compromised and the gravity generators had not compensated. The Bunker was also undergoing an explosive decompression, judging by the force of the air rushing around him. 2B did have an arm wrapped around his midsection, preventing him from being carried away in the maelstrom. Similarly, her other arm was hooked around 6O, who was screaming with her mouth wide open. Her veil had been ripped away by the wind, apparently, and 9S couldn’t hear her scream as it too was being snatched away by the maelstrom. 2B had her strong legs braced against a support beam, as she tried to shield her Operator and her Nines against any flying debris with her body.

9S looked over and saw the Commander, White, somehow standing her ground as she held onto two other Operators. 9S’s operator, 21O, was one of the two White was hanging onto. 21O was straining in White’s hold, fighting the raging wind blowing over them all to try to reach a console to activate the Bunker’s safety measures.

After a few more seconds which seemed to pass like hours, 21O finally got within fingertips reach of the closest console. A few quick taps on the console brought up a yellow flashing screen, and 21O mashed the button to manually activate the Bunker’s numerous safety systems. 9S heard bulkhead doors come crashing down in the distant hallways, and suddenly the turbulent windstorm within the command center died down into a light breeze. Moments later the air was still as 2B and her two partners flopped to the tilted Bunker floor. Nines asked 2B if she was hurt.

2B replied, “I am fine, just a few scratches. Are you hurt, 9S?” 

“I’m okay, 2B.” 2B then turned her attention to 6O, who was clinging to 2B tightly as she caught her breath. “Operator? Are you hurt?” 2B asked 6O, with surprising gentleness given the stoic Android’s usual dispassion. After a few more seconds to breath heavily and bring her cooling system back into working order, 6O weakly said “No, I’m alright. Thank you so much for saving me, 2B!”

2B nodded and continued to hold 9S and 6O. After a few moments with no sign of her relaxing her tight grip, 9S quietly said “I think we’re okay to get up, 2B. The bulkheads seem to be holding, and we don’t appear to be injured. So…”

“I am glad you are both undamaged, 9S, Operator.” 2B answered. She then cupped the back of his and 6O’s heads and nestled their faces into herself, with their cheeks pressed tight to her chest and shoulders. Holding them in place firmly but also tenderly, she rested her chin on his head while he blushed and 6O stifled a giggle. 9S relaxed into his Battler partner's strong but loving hold and sighed happily.

Soon Commander White began to bark orders. 21O was ordered to work with 9S and other Scanners and Operators as needed to get the gravitational systems back working properly again, and 21O was also to investigate and get a damage report on the Bunker itself. 2B released her Nines and 6O, and the operator was assigned to figure out how many Androids were vented into space and whether they could be recovered or not. 9S was additionally assigned to determine the status of the Bunker’s servers, and 2B was to ensure security of the command center. Soon messages were sent to all Bunker personnel to go to their quarters if they could, or to find a secure location and remain there until further notice from command.

**********

_’Cold...'_

That was currently the thought that dominated 7O’s thoughts. She had curled into a ball to conserve as much heat as possible, worried about her internal lubricants congealing in the cold of space. She had amused herself temporarily by admiring how pretty the stars were, while expecting a scanner or pod to retrieve her with a flight suit.

But a scanner or pod had never come, and she had begun to wonder if they would as the Bunker receded into the distance. She had rebooted to find, to her horrible surprise, that she was outside the Bunker in outer space. She could also see a large plume of crystalized gas coming from the Bunker, and she noted small ice crystals glittering on her uniform. _'The Bunker must have decompressed, and I was vented out…'_

7O rotated slightly under her own inertia as she floated in space, and suddenly she had as clear a view as anyone could of the planet looming nearby the newly damaged Bunker. What she saw made her coolant run as cold as the coldest depth of interstellar space.

_'That's not how Earth is supposed to look!’_ 7O thought. The immense sphere that was the nearby planet was dark over large swaths of its surface area, and 7O could detect a rotation of the planet about it’s axis…

But the Earth, ever since 7O had rolled off the assembly line and received her initial databanks, was supposed to have been tidally locked with the sun. And the Bunker was supposed to be on the “light” side of the planet. The aliens and their machine armies, the ones that drove the humans from the surface of the Earth to the Moon, were supposed to have brought about this environmental change with unknown technologies. And that wasn’t the only difference, 7O noted… 

At places amongst the dark swaths on the planet's surface, there were splotches of light, some dimmer, some bright. _‘Are those…cities? No city on Earth is capable of lighting up like that; they’re nothing but ruins now, according to every report I’ve seen!’_

7O’s visor began to alert her to an eminent shutdown due to the cold causing her lubricants to grow sluggish, and her rotation took her around to where she couldn’t see the planet or the Bunker anymore. She set an alert to sound if the Bunker did contact her, and allowed the shutdown to begin. She had only the faintest hope that she wouldn’t be written off as a casualty.

_'At least the stars are pretty…'_

**********

2B stood guard at the lift doors to the Command Center. Standing was a relative term given the tilt in the floor, as for 2B it was more like keeping her balance on the side of a hill. An alert suddenly blared over the Bunker’s loud speakers; _***Normal gravity restoration in 20 seconds***_ 2B readied herself and easily caught herself and stood upright when the Bunker's floor seemed to go back to horizontal. A couple of Operators were not so lucky and fell down with a clatter. One lucky Scanner wind milling his arms to try to stay upright came within 2B’s reach, and she grabbed the back of his collar with one hand and steadied him until he regained his footing.

9S came jogging back into the command center, with 21O trailing him and walking at her own, brisk pace. 9S, 21O, 6O, and a few other Operators and Scanners gathered around Commander White to give progress reports. 6O with red rimmed eyes reported that 25 YoRHa personnel were unaccounted for, and believed to have been vented during explosive decompression in some sections. Another Scanner reported that a limited number of the Bunker's reconnaissance and communication satellites had survived... whatever they and the Bunker had passed through. They were off-line currently, but should be repaired by their nanites and rebooted between a few hours to half of a day. Unfortunately, that would not be fast enough for the Androids lost in space to download their memories to the servers.

9S reported that in addition to restoring the Bunker's gravity to normal, he had made sure that the servers were clean of any more logic virus and any machine infiltration. He had closed the backdoor the machines had used to get into the servers, and had isolated the servers into their own, private network with much more controlled access. 21O reported that damage to the flight deck had been severe, so flight controllers were holding all deployments of flight suits and transports until repairs could be made. Personnel quarters, pod storage, and maintenance were still intact, as was the Bunker's power generation and orbital defense system.

“Pods!” 9S exclaimed, earning a glare from the Commander. He summoned up a hard light, virtual keyboard and display and began to tap away at it, oblivious to the irritated looks of the Commander and the others. “9S…” 21O hissed under her breath. He continued to tap away as White slowly stalked to him. “Got it!” he exclaimed, just as White slashed her crop through his keyboard and display, dissipating them and causing him to bend over backwards on the desk he had been leaning against.

White loomed like an amazonic giantess over the diminutive Scanner. She pinned him in position with her leg between his legs, her thigh in his crotch. “9S, will you please pay attention during important meetings! What could possibly be so important that you ignore a meeting to restore this base to its fullest function?”

Meekly, he squeaked “We can save them, Commander…”

White looked quizzically at the Scanner. “What do you mean, save them? Explain, 9S!”

“We can save everyone who was ejected, Commander.” He paused to calm himself and catch his breath. “There was an experimental program once to allow combat Androids who were unable to communicate with the Bunker to download their memories into their assigned pods for future retrieval. Otherwise, their personality data and memories would be lost forever…”

“Yes, I remember that project.” White interrupted. “It was shelved in favor of more and better communications satellites. What of it?”

9S looked into White’s face directly. “I found that software, Commander. A complete, working copy of it. If we quickly upload it into pods, and then launch a screen of pods after our lost people, it’s likely everyone will end up close enough to a pod to download themselves. Then later, when the flight deck is cleared we can recover the pods and get our people back, ma’am…”

“But we have to hurry before they drift too far away.”

After a moment contemplating 9S’s plan, White nodded and I stepped back. “Then you had better get busy, 9S…Whatever you need you can requisition under my authority, so get to it.”

9S straightened up. Placing his hand over his heart, he said “Glory to Mankind.” White acknowledged his salute, and then he moved to carry out her orders.

**********

Devola awoke to the sounds of bird calls, buzzing insects, and rustling leaves. A light mist in the air dampened her face and clothes. She opened her eyes to see a forested canopy with a dark sky lit by pinpricks of thousands of light. It took her processors a moment to analyze her situation. _'It's night? That can’t be, there’s been no nighttime on Earth for millennia…. I grabbed that Scanner’s hand and then…what?'_ Her memory chips showed a gap of a few minutes in her memory, until registering that she had gone into rest mode for a few hours. _So why is it night and how did we get to the Forest Kingdom?_

She felt someone holding her right hand tightly, and a hand with a death grip around her other wrist. She sat up abruptly, remembering the last events in the medical tent at the Resistance camp. “Popola!” she softly cried, and a figure beside her stirred.

“Wha – what happened? Where are we?” Popola asked as she sat up on one arm.

“I think it’s the Forest Kingdom, Sis. But more importantly, are you damaged anywhere?”

Popola shook her head. “No, nothing registering anyway. Same with you, any damage?”

“Nothing, although if you keep squeezing my wrist like that you might crack my endoskeleton and damage my skin covering.” Popola released her hold on her sister Android’s wrist, mouthing sorry. Devola flashed her sister a quick smile to reassure her there was no harm done.

On Devola's other side, the Scanner who’s hand she had grabbed before groaned and stirred weakly. Devola turned her attention to him and checked him while Popola shifted to rest on one knee and watched their surroundings.

After a minute, Devola said “Popola, look at this…” Popola crawled around to kneel on the other side of the prone Scanner. _'This is 18S, right? He's pretty quiet for a Scanner. Nice little guy..._ ' Devola pulled the Scanner's coat open, and pushed up the remains of his sliced undershirt. Where as before he had a pair of wicked slashes across his chest and abdomen, now there were only two healed scars left.

“This – this is at least one or two days of nanite repair work, maybe more! My internal chronometers don’t register that much time. Do yours?...” Devola asked. Popola shook her head negative. Then Popola said “And this isn’t the Forest Kingdom.” She held up a dried branch with withered leaves. “The foliage is wrong. I’ve never seen leaves exactly like these before...”

She plucked a leaf and looked at it closely in detail. “It’s similar to a type of tree in the forests we know, but there are enough differences to qualify it as another species…” She crushed and rubbed the dried leaf between her hands, then wafted the powder under her nose. She inhaled and stared into the forest. Softly, she began to reel off a series of chemical compounds, some biologically common to plants the twins were used to, others foreign to the two Android sisters.

Eyes narrowed at the different botany of the local plant life, both twin's processors reached the same inescapable conclusion; “Popola…,” Devola said, then took a deep breath before continuing.

“ …where the hell are we?”

**********

7O barely registered the trickle of a signal she was receiving. But, slowly and insistently, her processors recognized the pod's transmission:

“Statement: pod 510 requests Operator 7O begin download of memory and personality traits immediately. Failure to comply will result in data permanently lost…”

Very sluggishly, 7O raised her head from its resting place on her knees. Her pseudo skin and exoskeleton crackled with stress fracturing as the brutal coldness of space made the material brittle. Creaking her eyelids open, she saw through frozen photoreceptors a red and grey pod traveling close to her. All she could think was _'Poor little pod! Were you blown out of the Bunker too?... I’m sorry to see that…'_

_‘…but it’s nice to not be alone out here, ya’ know?_ 7O’s last thought before permanent shutdown was _'Ah to hell with it, what do I have to lose now?’_ , and her last action was to open and send a download file to the little pod…

**********

“All YoRHa agents in the vicinity, sound off!” The top ranking Battler's voice rattled through the dark forest. Simultaneously, 18S’s pod, which had found him, issued an alert.

“Alert: All YoRHa personnel ordered to check in with field commander.”

“C-comply with commander’s r-request, then.” 18S ordered his pod, anxiety written all over his face. Devola had an arm around his shoulders as she knelt beside where he was sitting in the strange forest’s undergrowth. He had not taken the news of his sudden relocation well when Popola had broken it to him.

After a minute, with far less noise than should be possible for any being walking through underbrush in high heeled boots, the field commander 13B appeared out of the gloomy night. With a nod to the twin Androids, she looked at 18S and asked “Are you still injured?” She herself had apparently been the recipient of some time under nanite reconstruction, as evidenced by the nasty scar beginning from her scalp, over her eye, and down her cheek to her jawline.

“No, Field Commander, I am operational within normal field parameters.” 18S responded as he got to his feet, trying to control any quivering in his voice. Popola and Devola also stood up and Devola stepped forward and said “13B, ahem, Field Commander, can you tell us what has happened and where we are?”

13B looked at Popola and Devola, then sighed and looked Devola directly in her eyes. “That is the question I’d like an answer to, myself. I can’t raise the Bunker, so I’m not getting any information or orders from command. Can you get through 18S?”

18S’s pod, 191, replied “Statement: attempting now…” the floating box paused for long moments.

“Report: unable to communicate with Bunker personnel or access the Bunker servers. Off-line.”

“That’s what everyone’s pod is reporting.” 13B scowled. “Alright, we'll play this by the book, then. 18S, get ready to move in one minute. We’re finding a secure location to hunker down until we re-establish communications or figure out what’s going on.” 18S saluted, replying “Glory to Mankind.” Then he began buttoning his coat and gathering himself to go into the field.

“Field Commander, a moment please?” Devola asked, as Popola moved to stand beside her sister. 13B nodded and the three female Androids moved a few feet away from the Scanner and his pod. “Field Commander, my sister and I would like to accompany your agents as you find a new position.” Devola began.

13B shook her head, with her eyes downcast. “I’m sorry, that’s not going to be possible.” She said. “In a situation like this, only active duty YoRHa personnel are to know of any secure location and our disposition of forces.” 13B’s pod came to hover by her shoulder. She looked at Popola and Devola, then said, “Once we re-establish communications, I’ll ask the Bunker for a transport to a secure location for you and your sister. Again, I’m sorry, but that’s the best I can do.”

She looked past the red haired sisters, and said to the Scanner “One minute is up, 18S, time to go!” Then she turned and walked into the forest, and was gone from sight and sound a few seconds later. 18S looked apologetic as he ran by the two Androids who had repaired and nursed him a number of times. He paused as he passed by them, then murmured “Uh, look. Once we’re secure, I’ll be sent out to scout the area with the other Scanners. I’ll sneak back here and you two can 'follow' me back to wherever we are bivouacked, okay?”

He too scampered into the forest, but he turned back once more to say “Just don’t die or get disassembled or anything like that until I can come back for you, ok!...” Like 13B, he suddenly faded into the gloom of the dark forest. But his voice drifted back after him, saying “And thanks for taking care of me.”

Devola just shook her head. “So we’re supposed to just wait around here, huh?”

“And get attacked by the local predators or hope our sealant holds up when it rains…like this forest didn’t have to have a ton of water dumped on it to grow up this big” Popola finished her sister’s thought.

Devola nodded, with a wry smile. “C’mon. It’s not the first time we’ve had to go it alone with each other in the wilderness…” The two ancient Android models moved off to find their own shelter.

As they moved through the forest, they didn’t make any noise or talk unnecessarily. They checked several small caves and natural shelters, but each one had one issue after another that made it unsuitable as a shelter. They began to grow more frustrated as time went on.

After a while, they looked towards each other. After exchanging a glance, Devola suddenly went into the forest by herself while Popola continued in the same direction they had been previously going. Popola paused and knelt by a stream bed.

Behind her, a hooded figure stepped soundlessly out of the gloom, skirted a couple of trees, and began to advance towards Popola's back. The figure wore a pleated brown grey robe that covered its body, with sleeves longer than its arms. An off white hood with a lace border and string ties in the front covered the figure’s head and shoulders, leaving the figure's mouth and chin as the only part of its face showing. Popola continued to busy herself at the stream bed as the figure slowly drifted towards her.

Popola suddenly straightened up and spoke “It is not proper to sneak up behind someone….” At the same time, Devola appeared behind the figure and pressed a knife to its throat. The stranger was shorter by almost a head and a half compared to the tall, red haired Android sister. Popola turned her head back to look at Devola’s prisoner, then stood and turned back to face them. “Let’s do this right; what is your name?”

_“¥€€•••”_  
the little stranger said.

Popola cocked her head. Then shook her head and said “I did not understand you, is that your name?”

_“^°π€£~ -**%€•• ¥€€•••…”_

Popola paused a moment, then pointed to a nearby rock, then held up a leaf, and then pointed to a mushroom. Next she pantomimed a figure running, then sleeping. The stranger replied with a new word each time. Devola, not taking her eyes off of her prisoner, said in a language that sounded similar to the stranger’s “She sounds like she’s speaking something akin to ancient Japanese…”

Popola nodded, then said “But it’s got some significant variances…” She paused, processing for a few seconds. Then she said in a language very much like the stranger’s _“^°€€£~ -**%€•• Popola-san.”_

The stranger smiled, and said “I understand, Miss Popola, though your accent is quite atrocious. My name is Musica.”

**Epilogue: Grace Field House**

_Emma had never run so hard in her life. And that was saying something as Emma played tag almost every day, and was one of the fastest and highest endurance runners among the thirty eight kids living currently at the orphanage._

'But it’s not an orphanage… _' Emma thought._

‘It’s a FARM!’

_Emma collapsed facedown into the lush grass that made up the expanse between the Gate and Grace Field House. The grass Emma loved to play on, loved to lay on and look at the sky above, loved to roll on with the other kids she had lived all her eleven years with. She panted, trying to catch her breath, more breathless from panicking in fear of what she had just witnessed as from the exertion of running._

_…Conny, sweet little six year old Conny. She left with 'Mom,' after tearfully promising everyone she would write them all lots of letters. She wasn’t going to be writing anyone anything now; Emma and the other eleven year old with her, Norman, had broken the rules and went all the way down to and beyond the open gate to try to get a silly little stuffed rabbit to Conny that she had forgotten. Emma knew Conny would be heartbroken without her bunny; she carried it with her wherever she went._

_There they had found Conny’s lifeless body dumped with limbs twisted and splayed in the back of a truck. Conny’s eyes were wide open, fearful, and her mouth looked like she died screaming. No screams, laughter or any other sound would be coming out of Conny now, the long sharp stems of the flowers that had been inserted into the center of her chest saw to that._

_And then Emma and Norman had to hide under the truck when the monsters, the Demons, had come. White, boney heads with goggling eyes. More than five fingers on their enormous white, clawed hands, with their fingers undulating like they were oddly double jointed. They had talked casually about how what prized meat Conny would be, bemoaning that they couldn’t even have a bite of at least one of her fingers. Then they had dumped Conny’s little naked body into some kind of liquid in a storage tank, where she floated upside down, waiting for her turn on some important Demon’s dining room table…._

_After she had caught her breath a little, Emma sat back on her haunches and, tears streaming down her cheeks, begged Norman desperately that “This was all just a mistake! What we saw wasn’t really Conny, was it? How could it be?”_

_Norman had to catch his breath as well. He wasn’t as athletic as Emma, but to his credit (or as a testament to how afraid he was!) he had kept up with Emma as they ran back to the only home they had ever known. But he swallowed heavily once, and, after a quick tear or two of his own, came to grips with what they had both seen and learned. In a voice filled with resign, he said in a near whisper “I’m afraid it was Conny…”_

_Emma's anguished scream was carried away by the wind blowing across the grounds of Grace Field House._

_Later, Emma sat on the floor by her bed, softly crying with her head and arms resting on her knees. Norman, sitting with her, had quietly reassured her they would escape, they would “find a way…”_

_“How?” she asked him. “We all have to get away – I don’t want to lose any more family! How can a bunch of kids escape from monsters?”_

_He let her sit for a moment, not answering, but quietly supporting her by his presence. Then she answered her own question; “Strategy. Like when we play tag. We need to find a strategy to save everyone.”_

_He smiled, just a little uptick in the corners of his mouth, and said “That’s right. We’ll find a way…a way for all of us to get away.” There was no one better at strategy than Norman._

_In another part of the house, with a soft lantern lighting the space around him, Grace Field House's other eleven year old, Ray, looked out a window and studied the night sky. A flash of light caught his eye, and he noticed a new bright star never seen before. He thought to himself_ 'If that’s a newly discovered star, then as the first one to see it, I wonder if I would get to name it’. _Then he had a second thought;_ 'I probably should let Emma or Norman suggest a name – Emma would likely come up with something like “Hope”.’

_Ray would have named it Despair.._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter, get ready for a surprise!... maybe!


	4. Jonah's Story, Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Androids supply some well needed TLC to little Jonah..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is unabashed fluff and hugging throughout this chapter. If that's not your cup of tea, you might skip to the end and wait for the Bunker, part 3 to come...
> 
> Then again, maybe in 2020 we all could use a good dose of hug therapy...

Jonah slowly became more aware of his surroundings as he shrugged off the drugged sleepiness of the sedatives. He was warm, and felt like he was floating. He was also wet over most of his body, up to his shoulders and chin. He realized he was actually floating in a metal basin.

Someone was humming a soft tune, and he felt gentle but strong hands holding him and a soft washcloth scrubbing small circles over his chest and stomach. He cracked his eyes open slightly, and saw the Healer android, 3H, kneeling beside the basin. She appeared to be focused on him, watching him as he lay prone with his head and shoulders held up by pod 181, while carefully scrubbing him with a soft washcloth.

“Ahh, I see your eyes are very slightly opened, Jonah... That’s good, try to stay awake as long as you can, please.” She finished bathing his chest, and began to softly scrub his neck and shoulders. With her other hand she tenderly cupped his cheek and ran a soft thumb over his chin and traced over his lips, using touch to stimulate him.

She also spoke to him quietly, trying to see how he interacted with her. “My goodness! You’ve always been cute, sweetheart, but who knew that under all that grime there was a **really** cute little human hiding?”

She smiled warmly at him, then softly asked him “Do you know where you are, Jonah?” He tried to think of what to say, but realized that he really didn’t have an answer for her. Frustrated, tears began to well up in his eyes.

3H was quick to intervene. “Shhh, it’s alright. That’s a hard question for you to answer right now. You’re doing fine, don’t worry.”

“You are in the medical wing of a fortress called the Bunker by us Androids. You’re safe, Jonah. There are no Demons here. They have no way to get to you here. Even if they could, there is an army of Android Battlers, Defenders, Scanners, and other Android types who would give everything they had to make sure you were protected from harm. We will keep you safe, and as comfortable, healthy, and as happy as we can for the rest of your life, sweetheart. I promise you that. Glory to Mankind, Guard Humanity’s Children”

Jonah relaxed slightly, beginning to believe 3H was truly a nice Android and that he could trust her. Then he realized a pair of claws had him by his shoulders…

_'He flashed back to being rooted in fear as the Demon reached down and wrapped long, leathery fingers around him. It’s grip was like a python around him as it lifted him into the air. He was too terrified to fight, to even breathe. He felt a warm wetness trickle down his leg as his only thought was to look towards the one source he had always looked to when he was afraid._

_Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Mom's face…_

_Her face flat and emotionless as a stone. She seemed to have no more care for him than a bug being squashed beneath her boot. She spoke, in a flat, uninspired monotone;_ “Jonah, listen to me…”

_‘Jonah closed his eyes, and waited for the pain of the plant stems penetrating his chest._

“Jonah, listen to my voice.” _'That's…Ms. 3H’s voice, Jonah thought. Puzzled, he remembered; she wasn’t there when he was being harvested…'_

“Jonah, listen. Remember me, 3H? And remember where you are right now.”

_‘Jonah opened his eyes. Mom was bent over him, cupping his cheeks in her hands. Her face no longer had its stony countenance; now it was filled with tenderness and loving concern. When she spoke, it was with 3H’s voice,_ “Jonah, sweetheart, remember where you are? You’re in a safe place, remember?”

_'I…I'm safe? I am…with Ms. 3H…with Ms. 3H in the Bunker.'_

Suddenly, 'Mom' became 3H, who was leaning practically halfway into the tub he was in to cup his cheeks and rest her forehead on his. He realized what he thought were Demon claws were really pod 181’s large manipulator appendages carefully holding him by his shoulders to make sure his head stayed above water. Jonah remembered that he had decided he liked the pod. 181 had been using its smaller manipulator arms to clean and comb Jonah’s hair, but it paused as 3H shifted to cup the back of his head and to wrap her other arm around his midsection.

3H pulled her little human charge in for a tight, supportive hug. She gently crushed him to her, holding his face into her chest and neck. He began to sob, and she soothed him softly, saying “Shh, it’s alright, sweet little Jonah. Just a flashback. It wasn’t real, okay? Shh, you’re safe on the Bunker, with me.”

3H produced a small ampule, and injected it into his IV line. “It’s okay, this will just make you a little less anxious. It won’t put you to sleep, although it is alright to sleep if you want to. You’ll just start to feel warm all over. It will act quickly.”

Jonah quickly felt the medication take effect, and his sobs quieted into deeper, shuddering breaths. 3H continued to hold him, kneading his back and shoulders whilst gently massaging his scalp with her fingertips. “Try to keep calming down. Try to take deep breaths, now. As deep as you can….good…good…that’s good.”

181 produced a clean warm, wet cloth, and 3H tilted Jonah’s head back and used it to bathe his face. “You’re okay…” 3H coached. “Let’s continue your bath and then you have clean pajamas coming to sleep in. That will be nice, won’t it?”

She released him from her hug and resumed scrubbing him clean, working now on his tummy. 181 resumed washing and grooming his hair. He quieted and relaxed into their care. He truly felt 3H was kind to him, and her pod was no longer scary. The little floating box was always gentle with him and it watched over him carefully and constantly.

3H added more warm water to his bath, and continued to thoroughly wash him with care, working her way from his head to his toes. She smiled and gently reassured him when he blushed adorably as she washed his “sensitive” areas.

She was washing his legs one at a time when the door chimed and 3H’s operator entered. 13O approached 3H carrying a tablet she gestured with and said companionably “Hey, 3H, I looked over these reports and I have a suggestion or two…ohh” 13O stopped and couldn’t help but stare in wonder and squeal internally at the sight of the adorable little human in his bath.

3H smiled at her operator's reaction and relished the thought of showing off and sharing her delightful little human. _‘Besides, he needs socialization…'_ she thought to herself.

“Operator, it is my pleasure to introduce you to Jonah. Jonah, this is my Operator – she’s the one who relays commands to me and sends my reports back to command – her name is 13O and she is a very good Operator and is very kind.”

13O beamed at 3H’s complementary introduction and approached the edge of the basin. She towered over the small boy, but then she bent over to bring her face down to Jonah’s height. “It’s really a pleasure to meet you, Jonah. If there is ever a time when you need assistance, I will be happy to help you however I can.” 3H pantomimed to the operator to remove her veil, and 13O quickly took it off and tucked it into her skirt. She favored Jonah with a wide, dazzling smile. She tentatively reached out a hand, then stopped herself and looked at 3H; “May I…uh, may I touch him?”

3H smiled and nodded at 13O. Handing her a warmed washcloth, 3H said “You can help me clean him up, Operator. His hands need to be washed.” 3H looked at Jonah, then asked him “Is it okay with you if my operator helps me with your bath? She’s very gentle and wouldn’t do anything that might hurt you.” Jonah, in an almost soundless whisper, politely responded “Okay.”

“It would be my honor, young sir.” 13O said to Jonah. She reached behind her and with a soft flash of light from her NTFS she produced what looked like clothes folded in a protective plastic covering. “I brought you two pairs of 'jammies' for you to sleep in. I hope they are comfortable and that you like them…”

Jonah softly and politely replied “Thank you, Miss 13O.” With his cuteness and polite demeanor, 13O instantly fell in love with him.

13O also produced a small device and handed it to 3H. 3H knew what was required; she gently applied the sampler to one of Jonah’s fingers, taking a small amount of blood from him. 3H handed it back to the operator, and 13O tucked the sampler into a hidden pocket in her uniform to be delivered to YoRHa research later. Nanites in the sampler instantly blocked any pain sensation from the finger stick, and began to immediately repair the skin and any damaged blood vessels.

181 chimed “Statement: humans need to be handled physically with care. Transmitting data on stress and strain delimiters to safely handle human children.” 13O’s eyes seemed to gaze into the distance as she downloaded the pod’s transmission. Then she smiled at Jonah and gently held his hand by his wrist as she began to scrub soap and water on the back of his hand and down each finger. 13O mused as she cleaned him; ' _such a little hand with such adorable little fingers. And a cute little fingernail on each finger, as well!_

_Our humans are wonderful little beings, I truly love them and want to serve them as best I can.’_ She looked at Jonah, floating in his birthday suit, vulnerable and depending on 3H and her. On an impulse, she brought his hand to her lips and softly kissed his palm.

_'I would truly give my life to you and for you, sweetheart. And I would do it gladly.'_

Later,

3H sat poring over the reports on the tablet 13O brought, agreeing with the majority of the changes her Operator had suggested. She looked over and couldn’t help but smile at the sight. Jonah looked even smaller than usual as he slept cradled tight to 13O’s front, resting in the tall, long legged operator’s lap and arms. 3H and 13O had lotioned him from head to toe to protect and moisturize his soft human skin. Then they had dressed him for the night in the jammies 13O had brought for him. A pillow was wrapped around his back and swaddled to him with a warm thick blanket. 13O cuddled him to the fullest as she focused on him totally, gently fussing over him as she endeavored to make him as comfortable as Androidaly possible. Tomorrow, 3H thought, she will cut and style his hair to make him even more comfortable and adorable.

He snored softly as 181 hovered over him and the Operator, monitoring his IV and the bag of liquid nutrition being fed to him through the smart tube in his nose leading to his stomach. The tube's associated nanites blocking any nerve impulses that would lead to the unpleasant sensations associated with nasal gastric tubes. Said nanites also helped to coordinate peristalsis in the muscles in his throat to ease his swallowing despite the tube in his throat and to prevent any gagging or choking. 3H and 181 would rather be buried in and force fed hot coals than to let their little human go hungry, or to have him aspirate while they fed him. When not in use, the tube collapsed into a miniscule filament that Jonah wouldn’t notice.

He stirred momentarily, weakly saying “Miss 13O….” before 13O gently shushed him with a finger to his lips. She then softly chucked her knuckle under his little chin, and soothed him by rubbing her thumb along his jaw and gently along his lips. She hummed a soft lullaby from a selection provided by 181.

He responded to her tender ministrations by clinging tightly to her, her operator uniform balled tightly in his little fists. He snuggled, burying his face into her, his cheek pressed to her breast. She responded by cooing to him, and obliged him by softly squeezing him more tightly to her. 13O slipped her hand in-between his back and the pillow behind him to rub small circles on and pat his lower back and tush lovingly.

3H was nearing the end of her review when Jonah seemed to tense and spasm in 13O’s arms, and made a sharp sound. 13O immediately shifted to cradling his head, supporting his neck and lifting his chin to maintain his airway. 13O called out to 3H, using frequencies in her voice that would be hard for a human to hear. “Threesies, he just had some kind of attack?! Is he okay?” 13O sounded like she was near panicked at the thought of Jonah in any sort of distress.

“I heard, Operator…” 3H responded. “Did he forcefully expel air through his nose and/or mouth?” 13O nodded yes, vigorously. 3H smiled, and held up a hand to forestall any panic on her operator’s part. “It’s okay, operator, what you saw there was what ancient humans used to call 'sneezing'. It is a perfectly normal physiological act used by humans to clear their airway.” 3H held out a soft tissue to 13O. “You can use this to clean up any discharge from his nose to make him more comfortable, otherwise he should be fine…” 13O, looking relieved, took the tissues and began to fuss over Jonah's little nose. She dabbed it delicately while lovingly pretending to scold him for scaring her like that.

Finished with 13O’s changes, 3H submitted her report and then knelt beside Jonah and her operator. Tenderly finger combing Jonah’s hair, 3H asked 13O “Want to spend the night? Jonah seems comfortable where he is…” 13O looked at 3H, and nodded. 3H stood up, and 13O looked up at her, tilting her head back and craning her neck up. 3H smiled and then bent her head to press her lips softly to 13O’s. The two Androids shared the kiss for some time, before 3H broke off to fetch a blanket.

13O scooted herself and Jonah over and 3H nestled in beside her operator in the same recliner. They spread the blanket over themselves as they tenderly snuggled Jonah, sandwiching him between them. 3H curled around Jonah, molding herself to him as 13O wrapped her long legs around 3H and Jonah’s lower body protectively. They both gave him feathery goodnight kisses on his cheek and forehead, then shared another long kiss with each other before settling in for the night.

181 extinguished the overhead lights, but not before projecting a soft light against the wall as a nightlight for Jonah…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I promised a surprise. It's coming, I just had this idea for Jonah's story so I felt like I had to go with it. Next time it will be more Androids and the Bunker, as the story moves towards the day when the Androids and the Grace Field House kids meet for the first time....


	5. Commander

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An old acquaintance not forgot, and now brought to mind...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here we go…

_“We are 2 clicks out, and closing fast…”_ 13B dialed down her audio circuits as a roar was caught in the message from her Scanners. She nodded to the two Battlers waiting in staggered ambush positions along the trail the Scanners would be following. 13B and the Battlers began to hear the sounds of something moving through the trees. Something big.

She waited patiently for the Scanners to appear, standing on a boulder overlooking the ambush site. Soon she saw the first of the pair of Scanners come running down the trail, followed soon thereafter by the second. There was a loud roar, and then the beast that had been tracked within the YoRHa camp’s safety perimeter lumbered into view. 

It looked Precambrian, almost reptilian except for the multiple sets of legs running down the sides of its body. Its head was lizard like, with a large jaw and bulging throat and bulbous eyes set on either side of its head. Dagger like teeth filled its mouth, and its legs each ended in tridactyl toes with large claws protruding from each toe. Its grey, scarred hide and several broken claws and teeth attested to a life of constant battling.

The Scanners it was chasing were fast and nimble, taking turns at leading it on and staying just out of reach of it’s snapping jaws. They were smiling and laughing as they egged the beast on to chase them. 

13B shook her head, noting that _‘They're grinning like it’s their first mission. Going to have to remind them that while these beasts are slow and not very bright, they’re still dangerous enough…_ ‘ The Scanners began to put on speed as they got closer to the ambush, putting a little distance between them and the beast.

The Scanners skidded to a stop at the bottom of the boulder 13B was perched on, after passing by the Battlers. The beast roared its frustration at seeing its prey getting away, and began to lumber forward even faster and clumsier.

The Battlers readied themselves, and timed their attack to the footfalls of the approaching predator. As the beast rumbled past the first Battler she swung her Beastlord sword into its legs and shoulders. The huge broadsword, shaped like an executioner’s blade and heavy as an I-beam ripped through the beast’s side and legs, tearing as much as cutting off limb after limb. The top of the blade ripped into the beast’s gut, spilling ropes of intestines out of the cut in its side.

The beast collapsed, but its momentum carried it forward in a sliding heap as its roar degenerated into a wet sounding shriek of pain. It stopped by the second Battler, then tried to regain its footing on half its legs, jaws snapping wildly. The Battler deliberately circled the beast’s head, then in one smooth, graceful move she raised her type 40 heavy sword and in one swift downstroke beheaded the beast.

The Scanners circled the body, recording their examinations for scientific purposes as 13B jumped down from her perch and skewered the beast’s head on the tip of her spear. Picking the head up and carrying it away like a knight of old Earth engaging in the grisly display of parading an enemy’s head on a pike, she made her way to a nearby precipice. A Scanner circled around to intercept 13B.

“Field commander, I have to ask to at least let us take some samples before you dispose of that….”

13B responded “No.” and continued to walk away to the nearby cliff face.

The Scanner scampered around her like a puppy, whining “Please, ma’am! We may not be able to figure out their regenerative properties until we get more information from the heads of these creatures.”

13B grabbed the Scanner, 14S, by the lapels of his coat and lifted him up on his tiptoes. She continued walking as she carried the head in one hand and 14S in the other. Nearing the cliff’s edge, she leaned over to put her face close to his. “Tell that to 23S – his leg is beyond repair until we can get parts from the Bunker, or until we can send him back or transfer him to a new body. As far as I’m concerned, the head _without_ the body is the most dangerous part of these _things!_ ”

She shook the beast head on the end of her spear as she spoke. They were nearing the cliff as the Scanner started to protest once more; “but…” he began. Then 13B released her grip on his lapels, only to put her arm around his head and pull him in to smother him and his protests between her breast and bicep. She finished the distance to the cliff half carrying, half dragging 14S.

At the edge, she found a handy rock to sit him on. Giving him her most commanding glare, she said “Stay here, that’s an order.” 14S huffed and looked back defiantly, but he stayed seated. 13B’s long legs covered the distance to the edge quickly. She took a couple steps back and twisted her upper body, gripping her spear shaft with two hands.

“Once we can get access to the Bunker’s supplies, we’ll have you Scanners rig up a containment chamber so that you can safely study these” The head suddenly erupted with three spindly arms extruding from the stump and flailing about. It struggled to free itself from its impalement.

In one smooth motion, 13B pirouetted to the edge and slung the head off of her spear over the cliff’s edge. It sailed into the forest below. She turned back and strode to stand in front of 14S, smiling slightly as she observed _‘Aww, he’s pouting so adorably!_ ‘ She loomed over him, resting one thigh high booted knee on the rock beside his hip. She flipped her spear into her back, the golden solid light rings of her NTFS holding it ready in place.

She gripped his head in her hands, her fingers in his hair and her thumbs resting on his cheeks. She tilted his head back and stared into his defiant face, then bent her head down to engulf his lips in a kiss. His eyes went wide with surprise, and she tenderly licked his lips, asking to come in. At first he continued to be defiant, but she held her mouth over his patiently. His resistance crumbled and he opened his mouth to her, and she frenched him thoroughly.

After she finished kissing him, he had an adorable stunned look on his face. She mused _‘Oh yes, I’m adding him to my collection of my beloved Scanner boyz. He is mine!_ ‘ She nestled his head to her chest and said “My brave little foolhardy Scanner. I don’t want to take any unnecessary risks with you at all.”

She stepped back and pulled him to his feet. She threw him over her shoulder and started to carry him back to camp. He squeaked and protested he could walk, and she just chuckled. She thought _‘Don’t worry, my little Scanner. I’ll put you down before we get there so you don’t have to hear it from your fellows…_ ‘

The Bunker

The Operators, Scanners, and Battlers who had fought and slaved so hard to save and then return the Bunker to at least a semblance of working order were assembled in Command, waiting for an address from Commander White. Someone had begun to pass around slim glasses of what 9S suspected was what humans used to call 'champagne'. 9S tried a sip of the fruity, bubbly mixture; it was tasty. He didn’t expect it to affect him any, as alcohol didn’t have any effect on Android neural circuits. Surprisingly, he began to feel better than expected and had a little bit of a head rush. He also felt a blush on his cheeks. He wondered if someone had slipped a little E-drug into the drink?

The assembled Androids of YoRHa collectively rumbled like any crowd of their creators. Small talk mingled with chuckling, some giggling (6O), and not a few complaints voiced behind the back of a hand. Most of them kept one eye upon the elevated deck where Commander White usually addressed assemblies. The inclusion of Scanners, Battlers, and other models in the command area was unusual, however. Normally the space would be reserved for Operators and a few high level security troops.

Finally, the Commander appeared. Taking her place on the elevated deck, she fixed the assembled Androids below her with a commanding, almost imperial gaze. She paused stoically as the hubbub below her immediately reduced in volume. A few seconds later, after some loud shushing by a few Operators, the throng was all facing her, attention focused on their commander.

White had dismissed her usual security team to mingle below. Despite their actions taken against their fellow YoRHa Androids during the takeover of the Bunker, the Defenders and Battlers of the security team were generally regarded with respect; all the Androids, save 2B, 9S, Commander White, and a selected few, had been under the influence of the Logic Virus. They had all been losing their minds and ready to commit murder of their fellows.

In lieu of her regular security, White had asked 2B to join her as a single guard. 2B took up a position a few steps behind and to the right of White. At a signal from White, 2B shouted “Attention!”, and as one the YoRHa soldiers and personnel immediately stood straight up, arms at their side, and spaced perfectly apart. Their speed and precision were better than even the best Human armies of the storied past.

“Glory to Mankind!” White began, saluting in the YoRHa way, with her right elbow bent and her hand horizontal over her heart. As one, the Androids below her repeated her salute and replied “Glory to Mankind!”

“At ease.” White said, and the Androids took up the normal military stance, legs spread, and arms behind their back.

“You have all performed admirably under trying circumstances over this past month to return this station to a 90% functional state. To re-establish communications with our soldiers in the field on the planet below. To preserve our ability to save our personalities and memories to new bodies, allowing us to take chances during dangerous missions. I salute your hard work, and you all have my respect…”

The Scanners and Healers smiled and nodded, as did most of the Operators behind their veils. The Battlers, Defenders, and other combat specialists stood stoically, but there were more than a few nods and/or upticks in the corners of their mouths. The exception was 2B, who displayed no emotion whatsoever on her poker face.

“There are more challenges, however. The flight deck remains closed. We will need new raw materials to repair it fully, as the damage was too severe to fix with just nanite reconstruction only. Likewise, eventually we will need more raw materials for pod and satellite construction, and for spare parts and new bodies for ourselves. And we know for certain that the planet below is not the Earth we know. We must learn about this new environment….” As White spoke, 9S and a couple of other Scanners, 21O, 6O, 13O and a few Operators and Healers noticed the fingers of her left hand began to wiggle, seemingly on their own. If White noticed, she gave no outward sign.

“We must gain every bit of knowledge about that planet, and use it’s resources to one end; we have to understand how we were sent here, and figure out how to get back. We have a war to fight. We are tasked with taking our Earth back from Mankind’s enemy, the Machines. Nothing will deter us from that mission. Not even being flung across the galaxy, or into another dimension will stop us. We will return to take back our Earth. Glory to Mankind!” The assemblage shouted back with one voice “Glory to Mankind!”

9S was growing concerned. Commander White’s fingers were moving more erratically, on both hands now. White looked down. In a lower voice, White said “I regret to inform you, however…” White looked up, and the photoreceptors in her eyes were bright red.

“…I will not be able to lead you in this endeavor anymore.”

Some Operators and other Androids broke ranks and edged back away from the infected Commander. The assorted Battlers and Defenders produced weapons, including 2B, who took Virtuous Contract into her hand. Scanners, including 9S, began to run checks on rate of network infection.

“Silence!” White roared. “We are YoRHa! Emotions are prohibited! I am the only one infected. The security protocols 9S enacted are holding, so I have locked the virus in me.” White looked back at 2B, then turned and said “The virus will die with me today.”

“She’s right.” 9S spoke up, loudly so that everyone could hear. “There is no sign of the network being compromised.” He looked up at the Commander. “Pod, start a vaccine program.”

The Commander held up her hand. “Do not bother trying to save me. My systems are too far gone…and the _*Virus*_ hid in a dark sector in my memory that is off limits to all personnel. Even if you _*cured me*_ I would just likely be re-infected….”

“So the only task I have left is to name a successor to my command. Since I am the _*highest*_ ranking officer left, it falls to me to name who is to succeed me” White scanned the Androids below, then casually threw a bundle of microchips to 21O. “21O, you have long been one of the most capable Operators YoRHa has ever had, who has the additional experience of being a Battler in the field, fighting the machines. I have decided you would be the best unit to upgrade to the Commander position.”

“Please join me in welcoming YoRHa’s newest Commander, 21O! Glory to Mankind!” The other Androids turned as one towards 21O, and saluting with their hands they said in unison “Glory to Mankind!” They held the salute and stood at attention, until 21O realized what they were waiting for and said “At ease.”

White turned to 2B. “My apologies, _*2E*_ , I need your services now.” White paused, then in a quiet voice said “I am responsible for who you are, 2E. Who now has more responsibility for what you had to become then me, 2B?” White turned back to face the crowd below. 2B hesitated, and White said “Do what needs to be done, 2B, do your _*duty, 2E*_.

White looked out at the Androids she had commanded through the 14th Machine War, and for the first time had regrets about some of the decisions she had made. There was a collective gasp, and White wondered why for a second. Then she looked down and saw six inches of Virtuous Contract sticking out from the center of her chest. She smiled as she closed her eyes and her systems shut down for the last time.

2B withdrew Virtuous Contract and caught White in her arms. She gently lowered White as she sat, cradling the former Commander’s head and shoulders in her lap. 2B’s pod, 042, relayed: “Statement; Former Commander White’s Black Box is offline.” Tears of coolant ran down 2B’s cheeks, and she threw back her head and screamed.

21O walked to 9S and handed him the chips, saying “Scan these carefully, 9S.”

He took the chips and began physically examining them. “Yes, Operator, I’ll make sure they’re safe, I promise.”

21O stepped close to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. She pinched his chin between her thumb and forefingers and titled his head back to look up at her while she sternly looked down at him. She raised one eyebrow, then said “And 9S, I know you will be tempted to be nosy, so…”

He protested. “Operator, I would never be nosy with…mmph!”

21O cut off his protest by covering his mouth with her gloved hand and waggling her finger under his nose. Then she spun him around and with both hands on his back began to march him to her station. “Do not worry, 9S. Just to be safe I will be watching over your shoulder as you scan them, keeping you out of trouble.” 21O caught 6O’s eye as she maneuvered 9S through the crowd. “See to 2B.” 21O told 6O. Uncharacteristically not smiling, 6O nodded. She moved towards the elevator to the upper deck as 21O called out for everyone to return to their posts. 

Two weeks later…

Commander 21 took report after report from the senior Operators, who had compiled them from the individual Operators under their watch. After listening to her Operators, and reading several terabytes of data, Twenty-one reviewed what was known.

This was not Earth, but a parallel world with similar but significantly different geology and biology. There was some form of a civilization, based off of a seemingly different technology. The technology had a rudimentary electronic component capacity, but its growth and potential development seemed to be stunted and involved more just short range communications. The civilization seemed more at a feudal level of development, but there were several large cities and other major features such as roads and aqueducts, for example.

Organisms seemed to be made of cells that were more homogeneous biologically than the Eukaryotic type cells that typified “Earth” biology. While able to become diversified, the cells seemed to be able to reverse themselves back to a more embryonic state in their cell cycle. This led to a more “plastic” type organism that could apparently change its body type as needed. It also meant organisms on this planet had regenerative properties that exceeded anything seen before.

21 pondered these new realities as she stood at the heart of the command center. She wore a new Commander’s uniform. Essentially an Operator’s standard uniform from neck to tight, short skirt with metallic inlays. Except in deference to her predecessor, 21’s uniform was pearl white with gold inlays instead of black. She retained the black hose and black, thigh high boots of the standard Operator’s uniform, however. Similarly, she retained the black gloves. In lieu of former Commander White’s circlet of golden oak leaves, 21 wore a military cap with a brim like old Earth generals. Her cap was white with a black brim and a gold symbol for YoRHa on its front. In memory of the former Commander White, 21’s cap was ringed with gold oak leaves. Though she had the riding crop the former Commander carried, 21 kept it tucked into a loop attached to the back of her skirt. Instead, Commander 21 carried a data tablet cradled in one arm. She also carried two long daggers in sheaths on her back at her waistline, and had a number of concealed weapons on and even inside her body.

21 decided to not wear a veil as a Commander, and had made veils an optional part of a standard Operator’s uniform; some Operators chose to continue to wear their veils, claiming they felt naked or out of uniform without them. Others, like 6O, quickly eschewed the facial coverings.

An operator activated a light at her station, and a senior Operator joined her. After a moment, 21 received a signal requesting her presence at the Communications Operator’s station. 21 strode to the Communications desk and brusquely said “Report”. Communications had been less than busy now, with no planetary wide Resistance Androids to coordinate operations with.

“Commander, we are receiving a signal from the planet. It is coming from a single point on the continent below.” Senior Operator 7O reported.

“I see.” 21 thought _‘Were we wrong in our estimates of the technological level of the civilization? Getting a signal to the Bunker seemed beyond any expertise found so far…_ ‘ “Give me a satellite image of the signal’s origin.” 21 ordered.

The Operator at the station, 18O, quickly tapped a few keys and an image came up, with the signal origin highlighted. 21’s eyes narrowed in imitation of a human concentrating on what they were looking at.

 _‘So what is this?_ ‘ 21 thought. _‘This structure looks nothing like the other structures built by the civilization we have been observing…_ ‘ Suddenly, 21’s black box stopped momentarily, then sped up. _‘This structure looks like it was made by…Humans? And it’s not a ruin like the human structures back in Earth. This is relatively recent and appears to be being actively maintained…_ ‘

 _‘…Are there Humans here? Are they from our Earth? If so, how did they get here?_ ‘ 

“Filter that signal for any viruses and Trojan horses, then keep its data isolated and play it on the front screen."

An image appeared on one of the large screens at the front of the command center. Every Operator was instantly transfixed by the sight of a human male, wearing a suit with long hair leaning against a massive wooden desk. The man in the image began speaking.

“Greetings. I am called Peter Ratri, and I represent the Ratri clan on this planet. I would like to talk to you…whomever you are.”

**Epilogue**

_‘Humanity is extinct…_ ‘ 21 now knew. In taking over command, White’s chips had contained many of her secrets. The most important of all those secrets was that humanity on Earth had gone extinct, except for some DNA stored in a server on the actual moon.

_‘And all these times 9S had to suffer and die, it was because he discovered the secret. That’s what he is programmed at his core to do; find secrets and solve problems and puzzles. To take in all the data he can and process it into useful tactical and strategic information._

_All those times, his memories scrubbed…for this?_ ‘ 21 shook her head in disgust. She looked at another chip White had given her, then locked it back in her desk.

She turned to review a report by a Scanner on the surface. _‘And now there are humans here? What are our responsibilities to them? They are not the humans who built us…_ ‘ 

The Scanner had come upon a road and a broken down truck. Footprints indicated the driver had left the truck, running down the road, then apparently switching to run on four legs for greater speed. A quick inspection showed the truck had a cracked radiator and had overheated.

And then the Scanner inspected the contents of the truck…

21 pushed away the report in horror, thinking she was going to throw the book at the Scanner for such an evil prank. But, hands shaking, she realized not even a Scanner could do a prank like this. 

In the flatbed of the truck, in some sort of stasis or cryogenic container, floated the naked remains of a dead human child. In fact, there were multiple containers, nearly all of them full of children. The Scanner’s report ended there, as he was overcome with grief and rage and needed to enter rest mode to settle his black box down. He had crawled back to the forest to conceal himself before his pod shut him down temporarily.

21 made herself look again at the children floating in the containers. Some looked peaceful, like they were just asleep. Others had faces contorted in rictuses of fear and pain.

As 21 examined the video and pictures over and over again, she began to realize why YoRHa had been transported here. What the Androids’s duty to this world’s humanity was.

Or, at least their duty to Humanity’s children in this world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't know how big a surprise that was, but SpaceMom, as l've heard 21 called, is now in charge. 
> 
> I know I'm having the Operators and Battlers getting a little "handsy" with the Scanners; deep down, I think the rough and tumble Battlers love the little Scanners, in their rough way. And Androids, even Scanners, don't break that easily...


	6. Little Humans, part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first Human sighting by Androids in 9K years...

“Commander, there is a figure on the wall. It looks like…like…a human. But it is small. Pod, are humans usually that small?”

“Statement; passive sensing data is consistent with the highest probability being that the figure is a Human child, approximately 11 to 12 years old.”

The Operators around Commander 21 gasped, tittered, and whispered with a variety of reactions ranging from gushing over the child’s adorableness to hand wringing over why was he in such a dangerous position, so high in the air? All felt in their black boxes the same sensation; love and adoration of the small human, and the overwhelming desire to nurture and protect him.

_‘So what are you doing up there, little human? Hmm…'_ 21 thought. “He’s exploring…he’s finding out what is beyond the wall.” 21 said aloud. “That’s one thing Human children do; explore.”

The Scanner who had reported the little male human ordered his pod in closer. The human boy was focused on the wall and the deep trench around it, so that he didn’t seem to notice the pod hovering at tree height.

“Statement: second human detected…”

The pod’s camera shifted and refocused on the ground below the wall. Another human child, a female with red hair was running out of the forest onto the grass at the foot of the wall. She stopped when she saw the boy on the wall.

The Operators in command were abuzz with excitement; two human children! A boy and a girl! Were they friends? Had they had a fight? Many questions were being batted about in the idle chatter that filled the room, until Commander 21 sternly reminded her operators that they had a job to do. With her Operators refocused, 21 returned her attention to the drama unfolding on the planet below them.

“Statement: third human detected. Adult, approximately 30 to 31.”

The Operators and 21 watched the third human approach the two younger humans. The adult female human spoke to the other two children as she casually approached them. “Pod, what is she telling them?” 21 asked.

“Report: long range directional microphone is not functioning in this unit.”

21 momentarily grimaced and shook her head, then composed herself and engaged a subroutine to try to read the lips of the adult female. She could pick up part of the female’s words; “N-man, come bak no…? ‘s over now.”

The air in the command center grew noticeably more tense. 21 called to her former Operator friends, 6O and 13O, to look closely at the exchange and report what they observe. All eyes were riveted to the three humans. “What do you see?” 21 asked, and the two Operators exchanged glances. 6O spoke first “Based upon the Cutie’s pupillary dilation and his posture…”

13O finished “…The poor little guy is frightened of her.” 21 nodded, her diagnosis confirmed. She dismissed 6O and 13O to return to their regular tasks. _‘What is going on, sweetness? Why are you afraid of a female human of childbearing age? She should be a source of reassurance to you…'_

Then the young female human ran back and appeared to attack the older female. The Operators collectively gasped, then smiled and giggled. The attack was not coordinated and posed little threat to the adult. At best it impeded her progress. The young female human revealed her intent, however, when she appeared to shout to the young male to escape. _‘Brave little human…'_ 21 thought, _‘to take on an adult over twice your size.’_ 21 felt the beginnings of an affinity for the child, similar to what she felt for 9S. If she could have, 21 would have reached through the screen and pulled the child behind her to protect her.

In a quick, practiced move, the adult gained the upper hand on the young female, and with calm deliberateness kicked out and broke the other female’s leg.

The Operators stood in shocked silence. 21’s lips formed a thin line as her eyes narrowed. The normally impassive Defenders and Battlers who were tasked with the command center's security clenched their fists in response. The adult female knelt beside the young female and pulled her leg bones back into alignment. The young female’s painful cry spurned the Androids into an immediate response. The Operators immediately began discussing how to move their agents to converge upon the compound while searching for any satellite imagery at the coordinates of the compound. The Battlers of the command center security detail used their pods to request permission to take part in any mission to rescue the child.

21 watched the adult female’s actions closely. She splinted the young female’s leg expertly, then carefully picked her up. As she stood she waited expectantly for the young male to join her. Quietly he adopted a posture of acquiescence and dutifully walked behind her as she led the pair away. A third child who had come up looked on the events with an apparent mixture of frustration and no small horror. He acquiesced as well, following the adult female back to a structure visible in the distance.

14S, the Scanner’s voice cut through the dull roar of the command center Operators. “Pod, prepare to stop that human! Then come get me and we’ll take those human chil-“.

Commander 21’s voice overrode all others; “Pod! Hold that order! Operators assigned Battlers and Defenders, stand down! Operators with Scanners with odd numbered names, redeploy to these coordinates to investigate this compound. Other Scanners continue current investigations. I will review all the reassignments in 10 minutes.”

The Operators quickly shifted to carry out 21’s orders. 14S protested “But Commander! We can’t possibly leave those human kids with that other person…what if she decides to hurt them?!”

21 replied “Stand down, 14S, that is an order.”

“But…but..I can’t stand by and do nothing, Commander. I’m going to rescue those kids. You can court martial me later, but I have to do this.”

14S jumped into a nearby tree as his pod prepared to launch a hard light cord to restrain the adult human. “Statement: hard light technology has never been tried as a less than lethal technique with actual Humans before. Calculations show high probability of success, but unknown causation of failure is always possible. Additionally, restraint of the adult human may force the release of the young female, who may therefore be injured further by falling afterwards.”

Calmly, 21 ordered “Pod, by my authority, override 14S’s commands and disable unit 14S’s arms and legs. Do not take action against the Human female at this time.”

On the surface, 14S’s pod replied “Affirmative.” There was a loud thump and leaves shot up into the air as 14S fell from the treetop to lay face up on the forest floor. As he exhaled he moaned “Ouch” after the hard fall. His pod returned to hover over him protectively.

In the command center, many Operators were quietly weeping as they watched the children being taken away by a person who they obviously did not wish to go with. The Operators who were not overcome with their sadness were contemplating with part of their processing what it would be like to hold and comfort a little Human in their arms. Many quivered in anticipation for the day when they would meet their first little Human.

One Operator, however, was too busy scolding her agent, Scanner 14S, to do anything else. As she continued to excoriate him, she noticed Commander 21 approaching her desk.

As she walked to 7O's station (14S's Operator), 21 mulled over the recent interaction with another Human…

“So you exist to serve humanity…or at least you did on the Earth you came from, correct” _The Ratri clan leader, Peter Ratri said. Or rather, the words flowed from his mouth. Say whatever you would, the Man never appeared to lack confidence._

“That is correct.” _Commander 21 agreed._

“So that means you exist to serve us, as well?” _Peter Ratri said, the avarice in his voice all but dripping._

‘That remains to be seen…if you serve the interests of the poor little human children in those canisters I saw, then you have our loyal allegiance….’ _21 thought._

‘But if you get in the way of our protecting them…'

_Instead she looked directly into Ratri's face._ “We have determined that Humans in this world may expect our loyal service to continue.”

“Excellent! On behalf of the Ratri clan, let me be the first to welcome you to our world…” _the long haired Ratri leader practically crowed._

“Thank you, Clan leader. We have to effect some repairs on our facility to be able to deploy our forces, but in short order we should be ready to come to the surface in force.” _Commander 21 answered crisply, no emotion or attitude evident in her voice._

“Uh, about that…” _Peter Ratri began and then paused, as if to think about what he wanted to say next. He soon regrouped, and said_ “There are very lethal viruses on this planet, lethal enough to kill off every Human on this world. I’m afraid if you deploy to the surface, you’ll get contaminated and be such a risk to all Humanity everywhere that you will be unable to serve anyone. So it’s best you remain where you are, until we figure out how to avoid contamination of you Androids. We will tell you when and where it’s safe to come to the surface.”

’We have anti contamination protection at the nanite level…' _Commander 21 thought, but her instincts told her to withhold such information. It was a fundamental difference between Androids and plain robots; Androids could have and act on a “hunch.”_

_Instead, 21 said_ “We will be deploying no one until our hangars are repaired. To do this requires raw materials in quantities beyond our normal capacity to produce. If you would help us obtain sufficient quantities of these materials, we will be able to deploy at will whenever and wherever you request us to go.”

_Peter Ratri smiled. And said_ “We would, of course, be of any assistance we can. Please transmit a list of the materials in question and we will acquire them and then we will have to figure out how to get them up to you in orbit…”

“We will include in with the list blueprints of how to make simple, automated lift transports. These should make it easier for you to send us supplies.” _21 suggested. She and Peter Ratri exchanged further pleasantries, parting with Ratri reassuring 21 that the Ratri clan would make every effort to prioritize the materials._

‘That would be productive.’ _21 thought._ ‘Now, based on his physiological responses, why was he lying to me…'

21 stopped at 14S’s Operator’s desk. “Patch me in” she told the Operator, 7O. The blond Operator with a dark shock of hair paused her scolding of 14S, nodded respectfully to Commander 21, and then told the Scanner “Hold for Commander 21.”

“14S…” 21 began.

“Commander! Please! I can still save them! Let me go and save them and then you can punish me however you want! Shut me down for a week, a month, even permanently! But let me save them first! I…I..”

“ **14S, that is enough!** ” his Operator thundered down on him. “You will respect the Commander! **Right now, do you understand me!** ”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Take a step back and look again at the situation, 14S.” 21 said, calmly. “That adult female had obvious combat experience, did she not?” She paused to allow him to answer, but she didn’t wait for him for long before continuing. “If she had intended to kill that brave little female, she easily could and likely would have done so.”

14S quietly murmured “I…think that’s logical, ma’am.”

“Indeed, she rendered medical aid to the female, and showed no sign of any immediate physical reprisal against the young males. The conclusion is she wants to or is expected to keep the children in good condition and under control. Therefore, while the children are not happy, they are not in immediate danger. So an unplanned, dangerous rescue is an unwarranted risk at this time.”

14S sighed audibly. “Commander…I’m sorry. I heard that little female cry out and I…I overreacted, ma’am. I won’t do it again.”

_‘No, 14S, you are a true Android through and through…'_ 21 continued “Do not apologize for how you reacted, 14S. What you felt is the same as what we all felt; we cannot help but care for these Human children…” 21 broadened her signal to include every Android in the command center. “We care for these children, and we will see every one of them we can to a happy and healthy existence under our protection. We will care for them until our last breathe rattles through our cooling system, and until our black boxes can spin no more…” 

21 stood and saluted, YoRHa style. “Glory to Mankind” she shouted. “Glory to Mankind” was repeated back to her by the assembled Operators and Security detail members. “Guard Humanity’s Children!” 21 shouted next, and the words were enthusiastically repeated back. “From now on, that will be our new mantra, our new oath we swear by! Say it with me again: Glory to Mankind, Guard Humanity’s Children!” 

The assembled Operators and Battlers and Defenders roared back “Glory to Mankind, Guard Humanity’s Children!” 

On the surface, in the woods beyond the wall and the trench around Grace Field House, 14S said “Glory to Mankind, Guard Humanity’s Children!” 

“Dismissed.” Commander 21 said, and the operator’s hurriedly returned to their stations to resume their work. “Release the hold on 14S’s limbs.” 21 said, as she resumed talking only to him and his Operator. As 14S sat up on the surface and began to pick and comb the leaves and twigs out of his hair, 21 said “You should feel strongly about what is happening to those children, but you then need to redouble your efforts to follow my orders. Channel those feelings into disciplined actions that further the overall plan, do you understand?” 

“Yes, ma’am!” he said, respect in his voice. 

“Then carry on, report any further observations regarding this compound and especially any more action involving the children.” To his Operator, 21 said “On my authority, place a gift for him when he next checks in. I’ll decide on something he can download.” 

21 next crossed to 6O’s station. She told 6O “Have 2B come to my quarters.” 6O nodded and contacted 2B. 

Later...

2B stood at attention in front of Commander 21’s desk in her quarters. 21’s desk was organization personified, and she looked the tall Battler in the eye as she said “Close the door, 2B.” 2B did so, and 21 motioned her to be at ease and to pull up a chair.

After 2B sat, 21 said “2B, I will get right to why I have called for you. In lieu of our being brought here and finding the Human children in need of our protection, I am rescinding the order to have you watch 9S and stand ready to execute him.” 

2B looked stoically at her new Commander and said “Yes, ma’am. Thank you, Commander.” 

At her response, 21 pursed her lips and, after a moment’s deliberation, stood and strode around her desk to stop in front of 2B. Leaning back on her desk, she looked down at 2B from her full height. 21 said “That’s it, 2B? That’s all you have to say after carrying out those orders. 47 times, 2 **E!** And all you can say is ‘Yes’ and ‘Thank you'?” 21 leaned forward, and in a softer voice said “I know you loved him, and I know this Nines will probably fall in love with you, if things go the usual way…” 

2B managed to control herself a few more seconds, then she buried her face into her gloved hands and, silently at first, she began to cry with abandon. She sobbed uncontrollably, and she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her. She lowered her hands to find 21 bent over her, holding her. 2B wailed, the dam suddenly bursting on the pain of all the times she followed orders, even if those orders meant cruelly executing the one person in the world that she loved the most. 

21 shifted to cradle 2B’s head into her neck and let her wail into her. _‘That’s right, 2B, let it out on me so you don’t lose it with him later, now that this long nightmare is ending…'_

After long minutes 2B’s cathartic outburst settled, and she was able to calm herself. 21 continued to keep her arms around her to support her. “S – so it’s really over? I don’t have to be an E model anymore?” 

21 responded “You don’t have to harm him ever again.” She stroked 2B’s hair softly. “But 2B and 2E are needed now more than ever. Not to execute other Androids anymore, but to protect them. Especially our Nines…and there are others that need your programming, skills, and experience to protect them.” 

21 released 2B, and reached out to grab the datapad on her desk. Quickly she called up a picture of the little female and little male Humans as they were being taken back by the other female. To the savvy commander and the highly trained Executioner model their fear and desperation almost jumped out of the picture. “These were taken on the surface of the planet below. All analysis agrees; these are Human children, ages approximately eleven.” She then showed 2B the pictures of the children in canisters. “This appears to be their eventual fate.” 2B gasped. 

“We need 9S down on the surface to figure out what is really going on. And he needs someone to protect him and these children from anyone who would harm them.” 

2B caressed the faces of the children in the photos tenderly. Then reached out a hand to rest on 21’s shoulder. 21 looked 2B in the eye, and said “Can you do this, 2E? Can you protect our Nines and these children, now and forever?"

2B looked 21 back into her eye, and 21 saw a fire in 2B’s eyes she had not seen before. “Yes, Commander, I will protect them to the best of my ability. I will live to protect them and keep them safe, and I will die for them…”

**Epilogue**

2B knocked on the door to 9S’s quarters. “Come in, Stinky!” 2B allowed herself the ghost of a smile before the door opened and she stepped inside. “Stinky?” she asked as she raised an eyebrow at him. His quarters had the usual clutter she had come to expect, with clothes haphazardly strewn about and datapads laying about in stacks (some perched precariously – 2B wondered if he had done it intentionally or accidentally?). He was clad in his usual black shorts, but only had on socks and a robe around his shoulders. 

“Oh, oh it’s you, 2-2B! I’m sorry! I was planning on meeting 8136S to watch a-and study old Human videos…” Blushing, he pulled his robe shut tight and scrambled to pick up the articles on the floor. 2B said “I see”, and sat on a nearby step stool, crossing her legs. She rescued a stack of datapads from eminent collapse as he ran across the floor like a whirligig. 

He happened to stop in front of 2B, and when he looked up he was looking right at her legs in their tight leather high heeled boots. He couldn’t help but be mesmerized by her long legs. 

Again a smile ghosted across her face, and she thought _‘This is how it always begins…'_

She let him linger a moment while her processor ran a scenario for her.

_‘It would be easy to scissor her legs open and then around him to pull him in. She would be able to disrobe him in a spin of her black box, then wrap her arms around his head and shoulders. She would squeeze him tight against her midriff, maybe even pull up her blouse so he would be held against the silkiness of her leotard. He would blush, but soon enough he would wrap his arms around her too. She would hum to him while petting and stroking his hair, and cup his cheek in her palm while gently tracing his soft, beautiful facial features with her elegant fingers. He would relax under her touch as she added massaging his back and shoulders to her ministrations on him._

_Once he was relaxed, maybe even dozing or outright sleeping in her arms, then he would let her carry him to the bed. 6O had the most pillows on her bed of any Android 2B knew, but Nines was a close second. She would lay him on soft pillows and then lay protectively over him to warm him and make him feel safe. She would gladly cradle his head to her chest all night long, and if or when he stirred, she would soothe him with soft kisses to his closed eyes and gently admonish him to stay asleep…._

_‘But it’s too soon yet to push it that far. Patience, 2B, patience…'_

“Does something about my legs interest you, 9S?" 

“Wha-ha! Um, no ma’am, nothing interesting at all! Well, not that you’re not interesting, but…but…” 

_‘’Oh Nines, that’s why I find you so very adorable…you are who you are…my Nines!’_ “Never mind, 9S, we have a mission.” 

He immediately turned professional “Mission, 2B? What is it?

_‘’It’s a task or goal, to be performed to the best of our abilities…but that’s not important, now! God, how many times did I watch those old Human movies, only because you liked them, Nines…'_

“They have found a place on the planet where there appear to be Human children, and we’re going to find them and protect them.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this will be the last chapter to technically follow canon, as the children and the Androids will be meeting in the next chapter...much to the kid's delight and good fortune.


	7. Little Humans, part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma and the kids get a hand...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: spoilers for the manga version...

“Where are they” Emma looked frantically for the other children, as she kept Thoma close by where she could keep a hand on him. The primeval forest around Emma, Ray, and Thoma echoed with animal cries and the groaning and rustling of the mammoth trees.

“I don’t know, Emma…” Ray said. He could see the distress on Emma’s face and he hated that she felt that way. “But, somehow, we’ll find them.”

When Thoma had found her and Ray by the river, he had reported that he couldn’t find Lanni. “One minute he was right besides me, the next time I looked he was gone.” The near hysterical Thoma had said. They had run back to where the other children were supposed to be camping, only to find they were nowhere to be found.

 _‘I wanted to protect everyone!’_ Emma thought, and her ear throbbed with pain where she had cut out her own tracking device. Ignoring the spreading ache from her earlobe, she continued searching for any signs of her lost little “brothers” and “sisters”. It didn’t matter that they had no blood relation to her, they were her _family_.

Ray noted that there were no signs of large predators; no claw marks or large depressions, and no bones or blood about, much to his relief. Wherever they were, they were not likely to be in the belly of some nightmare forest beast. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted some movement. But when he spun around to look directly at where he thought he saw something, there was nothing.

They kept searching for several minutes, until they came back together in the small clearing where they had left everyone. Panting with exertion, Emma had a death grip with one arm around Thoma. As they caught their breath, Ray attempted to come up with a new idea for the next search. Unbeknownst to them, they subconsciously moved closer together over the minutes while they got their bearings.

Suddenly, the seemingly solid forest floor turned spongy as roots embedded in the dirt moved and writhed away from each other. Before the three could get their footing, the roots opened up a cavernous space below the children and they fell in. The roots returned to their original places just as quickly as they had begun moving. The forest seemed as pristine as before any of the Grace Field House kids walked or sat upon it, all trace of their existence gone in an instant.

**The Bunker, a few hours earlier…**

Commander 21 walked with 2B and 9S toward the bank of access point terminals. “We have modified access point terminals to allow agents to transport themselves across long distances now, so you two will be the first team to use it to carry out a mission on Earth2.” Earth2 was now YoRHa’s official designation for the planet below them.

9S said, excitedly, “So they got access point to access point transfers up and running? So cool…” 2B knew he would want to go first, always excited to try new things. She resolved there was no way he would go before her, just in case research and development were not as thorough as they usually were, and anything went wrong. She had promised to protect him in any situation, and she would be damned if she would let her promise be broken this quickly.

“What can you tell us about the Human children, Commander?” 2B asked.

“Scanners have been watching the compound since we first learned of their presence. Last night there was an incident. A large group of children, including two of the three previously observed children, effected their own escape from the compound…”

“They appeared on the wall in a large group, and apparently used pieces of cloth tied together to make ropes. Securing these ropes across the gap behind the wall, they were then able to slide down them to the trees on the opposite side and to make their way into the forest. We’ve since lost track of them."

“The building they were housed in has apparently had a large fire gutting the structure. We have observed the human female adult on the wall, looking into the forest after the children escaped.” 2B’s pod, 042, helpfully projected a video of the human female, her long hair undone from its usual tight arrangement and hanging loosely over her shoulders. She looked into the forest, and then smiled wistfully. She then moved to collect the cloth ropes.

“Why was she smiling at the end? Wasn’t it thought that her function was to control the children? Why would she be happy they escaped under her watch?” 9S mused.

“More importantly, 9S” 2B responded. “We have a group of children in a forest that the reports say could be very dangerous for them. Any sign of pursuit from the compound?”

21 nodded. “Yes, a group of non humans was observed to enter the forest an hour ago. They looked like, at best description, a hunting party. Led by an upright biped armed with a large, crudely fashioned sword”.

2B’s lips pursed. She was damned if she would let those children be hunted like animals. “Right, it’s time to find those children and get them secured.”

They had reached the access point terminals. 2B almost shuddered, remembering dreaded checks for messages that inevitably arrived; execution orders for her beloved Scanner and partner, her Nines. She shook herself imperceptibly; that was over now. Now there were Humans to protect and serve.

9S, this version of 9S, held no such qualms about the access point. He ran up quickly to the terminal and expertly typed in a code. The terminal hissed as it broke the seal on its chamber, and part of its face swung upwards to reveal an Android sized chamber. 9S spent a few seconds running backups of 2B and his memories and personality. “Ok, we’re ready, 2B!” he said, excitement overriding any nervousness.

2B nodded, then grabbed Nines’s arm and tried to pull him away from the chamber forcefully but not too roughly as to damage him. He slipped from her grasp and entered the chamber before she could grab him again. He triggered the transfer sequence, and 2B was forced to jump back as the access point door closed on her grinning Nines. “9S, let me go first! It might be dangerous on the other side, Nines…” 2B exhorted. Her protest went for naught as the chamber began to cycle through the transport process.

21 stepped up as 2B, frustrated, stepped back to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Commander. “That little Scanner of ours; he is eminently lovable, and good at his job…and you always want to protect him.” 21 said.

A wistful smile of her own flickered across 21's lips. “And sometimes you just want to put him over your lap and spank some sense into him…”

2B nodded her agreement. The access point terminal beeped, and 21 looked at the video screen embedded in the device.

“Looks like the transfer completed successfully. And there is a message from 9S…he is waiting for you on the surface of Earth2.”

2B was a blur as she entered the chamber to follow her Nines and give him a piece of her mind.

**Cavern below the Demon tree**

Emma, Ray and Thoma untangled themselves from the pile they made on the dirt floor of the cavern they had fallen into.

 _‘Actually, we were purposefully dumped in here…'_ Emma thought. After checking on Ray and Thoma, she looked around. Then she heard a scream from further into the cavern. She ran towards the sound, and bumped into the other lost children. “Emma!” both Gilda and Don cried as they gave her a quick hug. “Where’s Ray, and have you seen Thoma?”

“We’re here.” Ray said as he and Thoma caught up with Emma. “What’s the screaming about?” he asked.

The other children parted, and Ray and Emma stepped up as Thoma and Lanni rejoined each other. Emma and Ray looked into a giant bowl of a cavern. Roots lined the walls and extended from the top of the cavern to the floor. At several places, forest creatures were suspended by roots in midair, their bodies dessicated of all fluids, apparently. The roots had penetrated the various creature’s bodies at random points.

“It looks like the roots…sucked those things dry?” Ray thought out loud. Several of the younger kids whimpered and hid their faces in the older kids, who hugged them to reassure them.

_‘It looks like the roots penetrate the body, then seek out the organs to drain their victims.’_ Ray thought. _‘Why does that sound familiar…Oh no!’_ Ray quickly grabbed the book they had brought with them as a reference, and began thumbing through the pages. He mumbled as he read, and turned pale as a ghost. 

“What is it, Ray?” Emma asked.

“Remember in this book…the Snakes of Alvapinera?” Ray said.

Emma paled. She said “But..you don’t think?”

Ray looked straight into Emma’s eyes. “Yeah, I do think this is them. And, according to the story, once your trapped underneath with them…you don’t come back out ever again.”

**The surface of Earth2…**

“They came through here, 2B!” 9S said, following the trail left by, presumably, the Human children.

They paused for a moment by a fallen log. 2B looked down at the tracks being left everywhere. “I can see these plain as day, 9S. They’re not making any attempt to disguise their tracks at all.”

“Nope!” 9S agreed, popping the “p.” Then he said “But at least they’ll be easier to find…”

2B thought _’Yes, they will, for both us and the hunting party that’s also supposed to be out here after them…'_

“Huh, now that’s interesting.” 9S said, as he went ahead around the log and was crouching to look at the tracks. His head swiveled left to right and back again.

“What’s interesting?” 2B asked, joining him. He indicated the ground ahead. “They came up to here, and there is some milling about, for sure...But then the tracks all stop.” He looked intensely at the ground ahead, his visor cycling through various wavelengths to try to pick up anymore signs of the children. “It’s like they vanished into thin air, or fell into a hole or something…like that” He looked up at the tree overhead. “Unless…”

“Pod, scan for any open spaces below us, quickly! And look for any Human life signs!”

“Affirmative: beginning scan.” Pod 153 said. Then the pod slowly drifted over the area, scanning and listening. “Statement: multiple Human life signs found in an open space approximately 30.48 meters in diameter, centered approximately 16-17.3 meters underground.”

“Statement: motion detected 360 degrees around and below Human life signs. Advise removal of Humans from current position for their own safety.”

Suddenly, roots in the ground moved and opened a hole beneath Pod 153. Some of the roots rose from the ground and attempted to pull the pod from the air.

“Statement: hard light self defense mechanism activated.” A pulse emitted from the pod, and the roots began to collapse as if their own weight became several times greater. A hard light half sphere formed instantly around the pod, cutting off several of the roots. Hard light spears impaled other roots the half sphere missed. The roots retreated and resealed the ground beneath the pod, which returned to hover by 9S.

9S looked up at 2B. “We’ve got to get them out of there!”

Looking at where the pod was attacked, 2B said “I have an idea.”

**In the cavern**

“Get back from the walls” Emma motioned to the others, especially the young ones. The older children, especially Don and Glenda, began herding the group away from the writhing roots on the caverns outer walls.

 _‘If it’s like the story, like Emma said…’_ Ray thought. He picked up a rock that fit in his hand well and handed a similar rock to Emma. Pointing at a clump of roots, he said “On three. One..two…three!” They both hit the roots in quick succession with their rocks, and the reaction was immediate. The roots immediately moved aggressively towards the places where the rocks made contact, displaying sharp ends.

“So that’s how they find you…” Ray said. “So we just have to avoid touching them!” Emma finished. “Let’s go.” She said to Ray, and they both made for the center of the cavern to climb the tree’s main root.

Don was panicking, noticing that they were surrounded by the roots. Occasionally a flower on the roots would open and emit a shriek or a growl like a large predator. “They’re all around us!".

“Calm down, everyone! Look!” Emma brazenly stood, arms outstretched, in front of a patch of roots. As long as she avoided contact, the roots moved randomly and appeared to not notice her. Everyone calmed at her demonstration, so she pointed to the center root which seemed free of the killing roots on the outside walls; “Start climbing!” Emma ordered, and the rest of the children moved to the center and put their climbing skills, honed on Grace Field House’s numerous trees, to good use.

They quickly climbed to the roof of the cavern, which was made of a seemingly impenetrable mesh of the tree’s larger and smaller roots. “How will we get through that?” Glenda asked from below Emma.

“We’ll find a way…” Emma replied. She studied the “ceiling” formed by the roots, trying to ignore the writhing roots crossing below her. They were also moving upwards as they criss crossed the cavern, so that it was only a matter of time before the sharp roots would finally touch one of the children.

“Grab the roots at the top, all of us can fit together in one spot!” Emma commanded. _‘There has to be a weak spot..._ Emma thought. Clusters of children fanned out from the center root, hanging on the ceiling roots and attempting to pull them down. 

Many roots pulled downwards, but didn’t break and didn’t reveal blue sky above them. One cluster with Emma heard an ominous cracking noise from the roots above where they were hanging, but the root ceiling held fast.

Watching the mounting number of roots beneath them growing, and seeing the fatigue growing in the arms of the kids hanging on now for dear life, Emma realized _‘We’re in serious trouble!’_

**Overhead, above the cavern….**

2B stalked out onto the same clearing where the children’s tracks ended, Virtuous Contract in one hand and a YoRHa type-40 sword in the other. Pod 042 hovered above 2B’s shoulder. At the center of where pod 153 detected Human life signs, 2B stopped and stood, legs apart, and her combat protocols given highest processing priority. Predictably, the roots erupted around her, opening a hole beneath her.

But before the ground gave completely away, 2B leapt into the air herself. Pirouetting, she seemed to almost hover in midair, 2B efficiently sliced root after root around her. As she began to fall back down into the hole beneath her, all the roots around her fell away, effectively decapitated. As 2B gracefully fell into the cavern below, 042 executed its own maneuver to spin above the hole and spew flame to cauterize the ends of the roots around the new opening. Then 2B’s ever faithful pod followed her into the hole.

Emma heard the crackling of the roots as the roof opened to catch another victim. _‘I, and maybe Ray and Don could possibly get there and out before it closed again, but the little ones will never make it!...I already left too many little brothers and sisters behind, I can’t do it again!’_ Emma felt faint stirrings of despair.

There was a metallic slicing sound, and pieces of roots fell through the hole, followed by a figure in black with shocking white hair. Gouts of flame came from the hole, and a metal box with claw like appendages appeared and hovered below the hole. Emma and the Grace Field House kids stared with wide eyes as a yellow colored “cord” that seemed to be made of sparkling light shot from the box down to the figure. The figure grabbed the cord with one hand to arrest its fall, and then hung in midair.

She was a tall, human-like, well-proportioned female form, with white, short hair held in place by a black hairband. Her features were youthful, with porcelain skin and a small mouth with feminine lips. A black blindfold seemed to cover her eyes, and there was a black mole beauty mark on the lower left side of her face. She wore a black blouse with sleeves that ran down to tuck into black leather gloves with white fingers. Feathery attachments came from the back outside fringe of her gloves. Her skirt was short and slit up one side, showing her thighs and a generous amount of her hip. She wore copper colored stockings to her upper thigh, and thigh high, black leather high heeled boots. In her other hand from the one holding onto the cord, she held a large katana sword with a white, braided hilt.

The female’s head swiveled in all directions, and Ray was struck by the thought that _‘She looks like she’s *looking* at everything, but she’s wearing a blindfold? How is she seeing anything?’_

“Pod, spears. Secure the children for extraction.” The female said calmly. The box replied in a metallic, male voice “Affirmative.” And “spears” of the same light shot out of the ceiling on all sides of the groups of children, forming baskets with a pointed bottom underneath them. One child, one of the youngest girls, lost her grip on the roots and slipped between the hard light spears to fall towards the roots below. 

“Pod!” the female barked. The box immediately swung the cord and the female to intercept the falling child. Impossibly fast, the female wrapped the cord around her leg to free up her hand and deftly caught the girl in midair, reeling her in and clutching her tight to her body. Continuing to swing, the pod brought the female and her precious cargo up to the hole in the roof where a smaller male figure with white, short hair and similar light porcelain skin was hanging halfway through and upside down. The female quickly passed the small girl to the male figure who took her back up through the opening. 

The female swung to a position centered in the middle of the clustered children and calmly ordered “Those of you who can get to my partner safely,” she nodded towards the male figure, “please start doing so. His name is 9S, and he will help you out of here back to the surface. If you are too tired or are injured, stay where you are and I will get you as quickly as possible. Any questions?” 

Still in shock at the female’s sudden appearance, Emma, Ray, and the others all nodded their acquiescence. “Good.” the female said, simply, and then she snatched two more of the younger children and swung away with them cradled to her. She looped around and deftly passed both children to 9S. Continuing to swing around, the female plucked child after child and brought them back safely. 

As Emma, Ray, Glenda, and Don made their way to the exit and 9S’s assistance, three children began to lose their grip. The female and her little boxy robot friend ( _‘Didn’t she call it a pod?’_ Emma thought.), using teamwork and programming augmented by years of experience in war, changed the female’s course towards the three. Arriving just in the nick of time, she caught two of the three children in her arms. The female caught the third child with her free leg, balancing the youngster’s chest and shoulders across her thigh and supporting his posterior on her foot and ankle below. The female swung away with the rescued trio to the opening. She handed off the children in her arms to 9S. Then, with a flexibility that would put a world class gymnast to shame, she nearly crunched herself in half to bring the third child on her leg to within 9S’s reach. He clutched the little boy tightly, resting his head on his shoulder as he brought him to the surface and added him to the ever growing number of rescued children. 

Emma paused at the edge of the opening to help the rest of the children into 9S’s grasp. The female gathered the last two children, but roots had begun to reach high enough to intersect her path back to you the opening. The flowers began to imitate the children's voices; a cacophony of high pitched voices and sounds like a young child crying and screaming. Emma could even pick out her own voice saying "Calm down" and "Start climbing". The sounds threatened to make Emma's head spin.

The female brought up her legs and shifted one child into a reverse piggyback, then summoned the largest blade Emma had ever seen. She sent the YoRHa type 40 blade spinning through the air, chopping off root after root in it’s swath of destruction. It embedded itself in the main root of the Demon tree, and the flowers all screamed in unison at the injury. The roots moved to “attack” the giant blade, wrapping themselves around it and trying to stab into it. 

With a clear path, the female swung to where Emma and 9S were waiting. Handing the two last children to 9S, she recalled her blade to her NTFS. It disappeared in a flash of sparkling light, and the roots surrounding it collapsed and fell off. The female grabbed Emma around her waist and pulled her to her. Her pod positioned itself below and slightly off from the opening. “Pod, once we’re out, destroy this threat.” She pointed at the Demon tree’s main root. 

The pod replied “Affirmative. Preparing to fire laser after extraction operation completed." The little box began to hum, and the female positioned herself below the opening. Letting go, the female and Emma fell towards the writhing roots below. Emma gasped and a small cry escaped her. The hard light cord extended briefly, but then tightened and became like an elastic band. The female held tight to Emma as the pair shot upwards through the opening. The pod stopped projecting the light cord, and the female and Emma flew several feet up above the opening. The female somersaulted and twisted in midair with Emma scrunched in her midriff. The female landed, legs spread, a few feet back from the edge of the opening. 

9S had assembled the other children at the edge of the clearing around the Demon tree. The female walked towards them, carrying the still dizzy Emma. Behind them, the pod said “Firing.”, and a white light shined upwards through the opening. The female and Emma reached the other children as the same time as the pod raced up out of the opening and across the clearing after the female. A gout of flame erupted out of the opening, and a moment later, the entire Demon tree exploded and shattered. 

The pods projected hard light shields to protect everyone from flying debris. 9S covered as many children as he could, as the female stood between the explosion and the kids. She was an imposing figure, silhouetted by the flames behind her. As the flying debris settled, she put Emma down and looked side to side at the assembled children. They all looked at her with rapt attention. 

“Greetings. I am 2B, and he is 9S. We are Androids from project YoRHa. We are here to protect and to serve you now and forever. Glory to Mankind, Guard Humanity’s Children.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've combined elements of the manga and the anime versions. I was originally leaning towards "following" the manga version more closely, but lessee where the anime goes; it might be giving me another idea...
> 
> The noise making flowers comes from an old movie, _The Ruins (2006?)_.


End file.
